Portal:Current events/May 2026
May 2026 is the fifth month of the current common year. The month, which began on a Friday, will end on a Sunday after 31 days. It is the current month.
May 1, 2026 (Friday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2026 Iran war
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- 2026 United States military buildup in the Middle East
- USS Gerald R. Ford officially exits the Middle East after taking part in operations in Iran during the war, leaving only the USS Abraham Lincoln and USS George H. W. Bush in the region. (AFP via The Straits Times)
- U.S. president Donald Trump notifies Congress that it is planning to close the Civil-Military Coordination Center. The Board of Peace denies such reports. (The Times of Israel)
- Mali War
- 2026 Mali attacks
- Jihadist group Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin takes over a base outside of Tessalit, Kidal Region, Mali, after it is abandoned by Malian troops and Russia's Africa Corps. (AFP via Barron's)
- Al Qaeda-linked insurgents call for Malians to rise up against the Mali military junta and transition to Sharia law. (Reuters)
- 2026 Mali attacks
- Myanmar civil war
- Six civilians are killed and nine more were injured after the military junta bombed a village in Falam Township, Chin State. (BNI) in Burmese
- Terrorism in the United Kingdom, 2026 London antisemitic attacks
- 2026 Golders Green attack, Antisemitism during the 2026 Iran war
- A 45-year-old man is charged with three counts of attempted murder after attacking three people in London, England, on Wednesday. (BBC News)
- 2026 Golders Green attack, Antisemitism during the 2026 Iran war
- Dissident Irish republican campaign
- A 66-year-old man is charged with several offences, including terrorism, following a car bombing outside of a police station in Dunmurry, Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Sky News)
- World War II bomb disposal in Europe
- A World War II-era German SC250 bomb is safely detonated by the British Army in Plymouth, England, following its discovery on a building site that prompted the emergency evacuation of 1,000 homes. (BBC News)
Business and economy
- Crisis in Venezuela
- Venezuelan acting president Delcy Rodríguez raises the minimum income package by 26.3% to US$240 and increases pensions to $70, as the government responds to protests over low wages amid high inflation. (AFP via France 24)
Disasters and accidents
- Fourteen Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps members are killed and two others are injured when an unexploded ordnance detonated in Zanjan province, Iran. (India Today)
- Eleven people are killed after a passenger bus carrying medical staff and patients collided head-on with a truck near Otjiwarongo, Namibia. (Xinhua)
- At least eleven people are killed and 31 others are injured when a passenger bus veers off a highway and overturns near Amatlán de Cañas, Nayarit, Mexico. (Reuters)
- Nine people are killed, including two children, when a cruise boat capsizes in the Bargi Dam in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India. (Hindustan Times)
- Three people are killed and 30 others are injured after a minibus rolls over in Balıkesir, Turkey. (AA in Turkish)
- Three people are killed and two others are injured when a bridge collapses in Jammu, Jammu and Kashmir, India. (India Today)
- A gold mine collapses in a remote area of the Shahri Buzurg District of Badakhshan province, Afghanistan, killing five people including two children. (KabulNow)
International relations
- Russia–European Union relations, Legality of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine
- The European Parliament adopts a resolution supporting the establishment of a special tribunal to prosecute Russian leaders for crimes related to the war in Ukraine and calls for sanctions to remain until a peace agreement is fully implemented. (Euromaidan Press)
Law and crime
- 2026 May Day protests
- 2025–2026 Turkish protests
- Turkish police arrest at least 57 people and use tear gas to disperse May Day demonstrators in Istanbul, where authorities block access to Taksim Square to prevent marches. (AFP via FMT)
- Protests and demonstrations are held worldwide on May Day to call for peace, higher wages and better working conditions. Additionally, protests are held against the Iran war and the global energy and fuel crisis caused by the war. (PBS) (Common Dreams)
- A Labour Day rally organized by Kilusang Mayo Uno is held in Manila, Philippines. During the rally, protesters attempt to storm the U.S. embassy to demand an end to the Iran war and clash with police, injuring seven officers. (Philippine Daily Inquirer) (Xinhua)
- May Day protests are held across the U.S., including an economic blackout as part of 3,500 "May Day Strong" events across the country. Additionally, demonstrations are held outside institutions such as the New York Stock Exchange. (Time) (The Guardian)
- 2025–2026 Turkish protests
- Connections of Jeffrey Epstein
- Leon Botstein, president of Bard College in New York, U.S., announces his retirement over his ties to the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. (AP) (The Independent)
- Killing of Kumanjayi Little Baby
- Members of Alice Springs' Aboriginal community in Northern Territory, Australia, clash with police outside a hospital where a man charged with the murder of a five-year-old Warlpiri girl is being treated, demanding the suspect be punished under traditional law. This follows a five-day search for the missing girl with large community participation before she was confirmed dead. (The Guardian)
- Mexican drug war
- Rubén Rocha Moya announces he will temporarily step down as governor of Sinaloa, Mexico, after the U.S. files charges alleging links to the Sinaloa Cartel. (Reuters)
- The Renters' Rights Act 2025 formally enters force in England, banning Section 21 notices (no-fault evictions), limiting rent increases to once per year, giving tenants the legal right to keep pets, abolishing assured shorthold tenancies, and making it illegal to discriminate against tenants based on them having children, or receiving benefits. (The Independent)
- One person is killed and 11 others are injured in a vehicle-ramming attack in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. The suspect is arrested. (The Standard)
- Spain's Civil Guard seizes vetween 30,000 to 45,000kg of cocaine on a cargo ship off the Canary Islands in what is the country's largest ever seizure of the illegal drug. Twenty people on board the vessel are arrested. (BBC News)
Politics and elections
- 2026 Antiguan general election
- Official results from yesterday's election indicated that the ABLP led by Antiguan prime minister Gaston Browne won 15 of 17 seats, while UPP leader Jamale Pringle and BPM leader Trevor Walker each retained their own seats. Browne is sworn in for a fourth term in office. (Antigua.news) (AP)
May 2, 2026 (Saturday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Middle East crisis
- 2026 Iran war
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- Tasnim News Agency reports that Iran has submitted a 14-point proposal to Pakistan via an intermediary. (AA)
- United States president Donald Trump says that he is reviewing Iran's new proposal to end the war. (AP)
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- 2026 United States naval blockade of Iran
- The U.S. Central Command says that the U.S. has redirected its 48th vessel attempting to exit or enter an Iranian port since the start of the blockade. (Middle East Monitor)
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- Hezbollah–Israel conflict
- 2026 Lebanon war
- Forty-one people have been killed in the last 24 hours in a series of Israeli airstrikes across multiple locations in Lebanon. (Al Jazeera)
- 2026 Lebanon war
- 2026 Iran war
- Mali War
- 2026 Mali offensives
- EgyptAir cancels Hajj flights to and from Mali amidst a crisis in which separatist and Islamist militants are targeting the Malian military-led junta. (AFP via Arab News)
- 2026 Mali offensives
- Sudanese civil war
- Rapid Support Forces atrocities in Khartoum
- Five civilians are killed in a drone strike launched by the Rapid Support Forces in Khartoum, Sudan. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
- Rapid Support Forces atrocities in Khartoum
Business and economy
- Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
- In the U.S., Spirit Airlines ceases operations following a failed government bailout deal and oil price surges amidst the Iran war. (CBS News) (AP)
- The General Civil Aviation Authority says that the United Arab Emirates has resumed normal traffic operations and lifted temporary precautions imposed during the start of the war on February 28. (Khaleej Times)
Disasters and accidents
- 2026 Kenya floods
- At least 10 people are killed after heavy rains cause flooding and landslides in several regions of Kenya. (Reuters)
- 2026 Ōtsuchi wildfires
- Wildfires in Ōtsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, Japan, are brought under control after burning about 1,600 hectares for 11 days, marking one of the country's largest fires in decades. (AFP via Dawn)
- Sixteen people are killed and 21 others are injured when a truck carrying bamboo overturns in Naypyidaw, Myanmar. (Xinhua)
- At least nine people are killed and several others are injured in a fire at a four-story residential building in Vivek Vihar, Shahdara district, Delhi, India. (CNN-News18)
- Six people are killed and five others are rescued in a fire at a massage parlor in Lingbao City, Henan, China. (Xinhua)
- Five people are killed after a truck lost its brakes and crashed into several vehicles near Jaén, Peru. (Infobae)
- Three personnel of the District Reserve Guard are killed and another is injured after an improvised explosive device detonated during a demining operation in Kanker district, Chhattisgarh, India. (Hindustan Times)
International relations
- Eswatini–Taiwan relations
- Taiwanese president Lai Ching-te arrives in Eswatini after an earlier trip was cancelled when several countries revoked overflight permissions, a move attributed by Taiwanese officials to pressure from China. (AFP via The Caledonian-Record)
Law and crime
- 2026 May Day protests
- 2025–2026 Turkish protests
- Lawyer associations say that all 576 protesters who were detained during yesterday’s May Day protests in Istanbul, Turkey, are released. (Turkish Minute)
- 2025–2026 Turkish protests
- 2026 Bolivian Air Force Lockheed C-130 crash
- Bolivian law enforcement authorities arrest the pilot and co-pilot of a military cargo plane that crashed near El Alto International Airport, killing 22 people, and place them in pre-trial detention on involuntary manslaughter charges. (AFP via The Manila Times)
Politics and elections
- 2026 Niuean general election
- Niueans vote to elect 20 members of the Assembly amid a cost-of-living crisis. Incumbent prime minister Dalton Tagelagi is running for re-election in Alofi South, seeking a third term in office. (Pacific Media Network)
- 2026 Peruvian general election
- The National Jury of Elections launches a comprehensive audit of Peru's presidential election first round after reported irregularities, with results showing leading candidates separated by a narrow margin and multiple contested tally sheets under review. (AFP via The Manila Times)
Sports
- 2025–26 Polish Cup
- In association football, Górnik Zabrze beats Raków Częstochowa 2–0 in the final to win their 7th Polish Cup. (Polish Radio)
- 2026 Kentucky Derby
- In horse racing, American horse Golden Tempo wins the 152nd Kentucky Derby after entering the race with 24–1 odds, making Cherie DeVaux the first female trainer to win the derby. (NBC News)
May 3, 2026 (Sunday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2026 Iran war
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz campaign
- United States president Donald Trump announces that the U.S. Navy will start guiding neutral ships through the Strait of Hormuz tomorrow. (Axios)
- The U.S. Central Command confirms that the operation, Project Freedom, will start tomorrow to help secure transit in the strait. (AA) (CENTCOM)
- A bulk freighter reports being attacked by multiple small craft outside the strait, off Bandar Sirik, Iran. (CBS News)
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz campaign
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- Iranian ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri-Moghadam says that talks mediated by Pakistan remains firm. However, he also criticizes the United States for “unpredictable and aggressive behaviour” towards peace in the Middle East, and states that talks between Iran and the U.S. would resume if the latter changes its behavior. (The News International)
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- Colombian conflict
- Catatumbo campaign
- Gunmen on a motorcycle open fire outside a commercial establishment in Cúcuta, North Santander, Colombia, killing four people. (TRT World)
- Catatumbo campaign
- Mali War
- 2026 Mali offensives
- Mountaga Tall, an opposition figure and lawyer critical of the Malian military junta, is kidnapped in Bamako overnight. (Africanews) (AFP via RFI)
- 2026 Mali offensives
- War against the Islamic State
- Islamic State insurgency in Puntland, Puntland counter-terrorism operations
- Puntland regional officials say that they have recaptured the Miraale area following clashes with ISIS members. (Hiiraan Online)
- Islamic State insurgency in Puntland, Puntland counter-terrorism operations
Arts and culture
- Mass media in Afghanistan
- On World Press Freedom Day, Afghan journalists launch the Kabul Times News media outlet in exile in France amidst media restrictions in Afghanistan. (Khaama Press) (Kabul Times News)
Business and economy
- Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
- 2026 Iran war fuel crisis
- JPMorgan Chase analysts estimate that oil inventories in OECD countries will begin running out between May 9 and May 30. (Fortune)
- 2026 Iran war fuel crisis
- The Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade will restrict supplies of popular computers starting 27 May 2026. (Reporter)
Disasters and accidents
- At least three people are killed and 38 others are injured when a monster truck crashes into a crowd at an exhibition event in Popayán, Cauca Department, Colombia. (BBC News) (Reuters)
- The United States Africa Command reports that two American soldiers have been reported missing while on a hike near Tan-Tan, Morocco, after taking part in the annual African Lion military exercises. (AP)
- Eight people are killed after a speeding car plows into a group of bystanders who had gathered to assist two people injured in a motorcycle collision earlier in Ambedkar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India. (The Tribune)
Health and environment
- MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak
- Three people are killed in a hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius off the coast of West Africa. (Sky News)
Law and crime
- Mass shootings in the United States
- Eighteen people are wounded in a mass shooting at Arcadia Lake, Oklahoma. (CBS News) (Reuters)
- Trafficking of Chinese nationals to scam centers abroad
- Sri Lankan police arrest 37 Chinese nationals in Colombo suspected of operating an online fraud center and seize electronic devices and SIM cards during the operation. (AFP via The Manila Times)
- Five Ethiopian migrants were killed last week in a series of xenophobic attacks in Johannesburg, South Africa, three of whom were shot dead inside a McDonald's restaurant. (Borkena) (News 24)
Politics and elections
- A French leftist polician Jean-Luc Mélenchon to stand in 2027 French presidential election.(France24)
May 4, 2026 (Monday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2026 Iran war
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz campaign
- Operation Project Freedom
- The U.S. Central Command says that two US-flagged merchant vessels have passed through the Strait of Hormuz, the first vessels to cross the waterway since the start of Project Freedom. Additionally, CENTCOM also says that U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers transited through the waterway. (The Hill) (Axios)
- Iranian media report that the Iranian navy struck a U.S. Navy warship with two missiles, after it ignored warnings off the coast of Jask. United States Central Command denies the claim that a ship was hit. (Israeli National News) (CNBC)
- A fire and explosion is reported on an anchored HMM vessel in the Strait of Hormuz near the United Arab Emirates. No casualties were reported. (Yonhap)
- A vessel belonging to Abu Dhabi National Oil Company is attacked by two drones in the Strait of Hormuz. No injuries were reported. (Gulf News)
- Operation Project Freedom
- 2026 United States naval blockade of Iran
- The Pakistani foreign ministry says that the U.S. has evacuated 22 crew members on the Touska and will hand them to Iranian authorities. (Reuters)
- The IRNA confirms that the 22 sailors returned home to Iran at a border terminal in Sistan-Baluchistan. (Pakistan Today)
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz campaign
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations, Pakistan in the 2026 Iran war
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and Pakistani foreign minister Ishaq Dar hold a phone call to discuss Pakistan's efforts to revive ceasefire talks between Iran and the United States aimed at ending the war. (AA) (Al Arabiya)
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- 2026 Iranian strikes on Arab countries
- 2026 Iranian strikes on the United Arab Emirates
- The United Arab Emirates reports that it has intercepted three missiles from Iran, with the 4th one falling into the sea. This is the first report of missile interceptions since the ceasefire began on April 7. (Khaleej Times)
- A strike on an energy facility in the Fujairah emirate injures three Indian nationals. (AFP via LBCI)
- 2026 Iranian strikes on the United Arab Emirates
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- Sudanese civil war
- Rapid Support Forces launch drone attacks at several targets in Khartoum, Sudan, including the Khartoum International Airport in Khartoum, Sudan. Drone strikes are also reported at the Signal Corps in Khartoum Bahri and Al-Markhiyat camp in northern Omdurman. (Sudan Tribune)
- The Sudan Army's air defenses intercept drone strikes at the airport. (Yaffaps)
Business and economy
- Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
- The Dubai International Airport in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, reports a 66% drop in passenger traffic in March 2026 amidst a disruption of air traffic in the Middle East due to the Iran war. (Bloomberg)
Disasters and accidents
- 2026 Liuyang fireworks factory explosion
- Eight people are killed in a road accident in Dandong, Liaoning, China. (Xinhua)
- Seven people are killed and 13 others critically injured after a bus collided head-on with a trailer in Northern Uganda. (Xinhua)
- Three people are killed and 14 others are injured in a fire at a six-story apartment building in Manhattan, New York, United States. (The New York Times)
- At least two people are killed and three others are injured when an Embraer EMB-721 crashes into a residential building in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. (G1 in Portuguese)
- Two people are killed after a fire swept through a residential area in San Mateo, Rizal, Philippines. (Xinhua)
International relations
- Austria–Russia relations
- Austria and Russian intelligence
- Austria expels three Russian diplomats over suspected espionage activities involving data interception from the Russian embassy and a diplomatic mission in Vienna. (AP)
- Austria and Russian intelligence
- Australia–Japan relations
- European integration
- The 8th European Political Community Summit is held in Yerevan, Armenia, with leaders from nearly 50 countries participating. (Euronews)
- Indonesia–Japan relations
- Indonesia and Japan signs a defense agreement including cooperation in defense industry and personnel training amid the lifting of Japan's arms export ban. (JakartaGlobe)
- Nigeria–South Africa relations, Xenophobia in South Africa
- Nigeria announces plans for the voluntary repatriation of its citizens from South Africa following reported attacks and safety concerns affecting foreign nationals. (AFP via The Manila Times)
Law and crime
- 2026 Leipzig car incident
- Two people are killed and 22 others are injured, including two seriously, after a car was driven into a crowd of people in Leipzig, Saxony, Germany. The perpetrator is arrested and the incident is being investigated. (Reuters)
May 5, 2026 (Tuesday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- U.S. secretary of state Marco Rubio and U.S. military leaders, including U.S. defense secretary Pete Hegseth, say that the ceasefire is holding despite recent attacks on the United Arab Emirates and Strait of Hormuz. (Times of Israel) (Reuters)
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz campaign
- U.S. president Donald Trump announces a pause in Operation Project Freedom aimed at helping ships transit the Strait of Hormuz, citing Pakistan's request to do so and progress in negotiations. (CNBC) (Arab News PK)
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz campaign
- Rubio announces that Operation Epic Fury, the codename for the initial phase of U.S. military operations in the war with Iran, has concluded. (The Hill) (Time)
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- Gaza war
- The Israel Defense Forces confirms that Hamas Nukhba commander Anas Muhammad Ibrahim Hamed, who took part in the October 7, 2023 attacks including the Nova music festival massacre, was eliminated in a airstrike yesterday in the central Gaza Strip. (Israel National News) (Times of Israel)
- Gaza war
- 2026 Iran war
- Sudanese civil war
- Ethiopia–Sudan relations
- The Sudan News Agency reports that Sudan has recalled its ambassador to Ethiopia, accusing them of involvement in recent drone strikes targeting the airport in Khartoum. (EWN)
- Five people are killed and nine others are injured following a drone strike launched by the Rapid Support Forces on two fuel stations in Kosti, White Nile. (Sudan Tribune)
- Ethiopia–Sudan relations
- Boko Haram insurgency
- Boko Haram militants attack a Chadian military base on the shores of Lake Chad, killing 23 security personnel and injuring dozens of others. (DW)
- Russo-Ukrainian war
- At least 27 people are killed and more than 80 injured in Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine. (Irish Times) (New York Post)
Arts and culture
- Great Israeli Real Estate Event
- Anti-Israeli protests are held outside the Park East Synagogue in New York City, U.S., after the synagogue hosted the Great Israeli Real Estate Event, an expo for land sales in both Israel and the occupied West Bank. (Jewish Insider) (The New York Times) (Times of Israel)
Business and economy
- Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
- 2026 Iran war fuel crisis
- Kentucky governor Andy Beshear announces emergency regulations in effort to combat the high gas prices in Kentucky as a result of the war. (Kentucky Today) (Reuters)
- 2026 Iran war fuel crisis
- As a result of the motion of no confidence against Romanian prime minister Ilie Bolojan, exchange rates between the Romanian leu and the euro rise to their highest level in history as the leu's value plummets. (Economica.net in Romanian) (Digi FM in Romanian)
Disasters and accidents
- More than twenty people are killed over the past 24 hours in storms, heavy rainfall, and lightning strikes across Bihar, India. (The Hans India)
- Eight people are killed and 41 others are injured in a fire at a commercial complex in Andisheh, Tehran province, Iran. (AA)
Health and environment
- COVID-19 drug development
- German biotechnology company BioNTech announces it will halt production of its COVID-19 vaccine due to drastic restructuring plans, leaving sole production of the vaccine to its partner Pfizer. (DW) (Wall Street Journal)
Law and crime
- Mass shootings in the United States
- 2026 Carrollton Koreatown shootings
- Two people are killed and three others injured in a mass shooting at a Korean supermarket in Carrollton, Texas, U.S., after a 69-year-old man opened fire on his coworkers at a business meeting. The suspect is taken into custody. (NBC News)
- 2026 Carrollton Koreatown shootings
- 2026 Rio Branco school attack
- Two people are killed and seven others are injured in a school shooting in Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil. A 13-year-old suspect is taken into custody. (Xinhua) (Central Brasileira de Notícias in Portuguese)
- In Pasig, Philippines, the National Bureau of Investigation arrests the founder of an online news site and four other people, in an entrapment operation for an alleged extortion attempt on former House speaker Martin Romualdez. (Gulf News) (PNA)
Politics and elections
- Politics of Romania
- The Parliament of Romania votes 281–4 to pass a motion of no confidence, called by the Social Democratic Party and Alliance for the Union of Romanians, against prime minister Ilie Bolojan. (AP) (AFP via France 24)
- President Nicușor Dan refuses the possibility of holding snap elections, saying that a new government will be formed comprising a coalition of pro-Western parties. (Radio Romania in Romanian)
- Louise Arbour is announced by prime minister Mark Carney as the next governor general of Canada. (The Guardian)
- The Ugandan parliament passes the Protection of Sovereignty Bill, which restricts foreign involvement in policymaking without government approval and imposes penalties of up to 10 years' imprisonment for violations. (Reuters)
May 6, 2026 (Wednesday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- Pakistan in the 2026 Iran war
- Pakistani deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar says that Pakistan is focusing on making the current ceasefire between Iran and the United States permanent. (Pakistan Today)
- Axios reports that Iran and the U.S. are closing in on a one-page memorandum to end the war and set a framework for negotiations regarding Iran's nuclear program. (Axios) (Reuters)
- Pakistan in the 2026 Iran war
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- 2026 Iran war regional mobilizations
- France deploys the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and its strike group to the Red Sea ahead of a proposed British–French mission aimed at securing maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. (AP)
- Ships attacked during the 2026 Iran war
- French shipping company CMA CGM says that one of its container ships, San Antonio, was attacked yesterday while transiting through the Strait of Hormuz. (AFP via Arab News) (Times of Israel)
- The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy says that safe passage on the Strait of Hormuz will be assured with new procedures and guidelines following the U.S. pause in Operation Project Freedom. (Reuters)
- 2026 Iran war regional mobilizations
- 2026 United States military buildup in the Middle East
- USS Gerald R. Ford officially exits the Mediterranean Sea and enters the Atlantic Ocean after its longest deployment since the Cold War during which it participated in both the Iran war and the Maduro raid. (USNI) (Stars and Stripes)
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- 2026 Lebanon war
- Israeli attacks on the Lebanese health sector during the Israel-Hezbollah conflict
- Five people are killed and three paramedics are injured by Israeli drone strikes and airstrikes across southern Lebanon despite the ceasefire. (AA)
- Israeli attacks on the Lebanese health sector during the Israel-Hezbollah conflict
- Israel carries out an airstrike against a building in Beirut, allegedly killing a top commander of Hezbollah's Radwan Force. It is the first strike in the capital since the ceasefire started on April 16. (Reuters)
- 2026 Iran war
- 2026 Mali offensives
- At least 35 people are killed in coordinated attacks in central Mali that are claimed by Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin. (AFP via LBCI)
- Sudanese civil war
- The Sudan Doctors Network says that the death toll from drone strikes launched yesterday by the Rapid Support Forces in Kosti, White Nile has risen to 235 after laboratory doctor Adel Musa al-Tijani was killed in the drone strike. (Sudan Tribune)
- Ethiopia and the United Arab Emirates deny Sudan's accusations that they were responsible for the May 4 drone attack on Khartoum International Airport. (BBC News) (Medafrica Times) (Khaleej Times)
Business and economy
- Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
- Gold prices rise to more than a one-week high following reports that Iran and the U.S. may be nearing a peace deal to end the war. (CNBC)
- Hungary–Ukraine relations
- Ukrainian president announces that Hungary has returned cash and gold seized from Ukraine's Oschadbank after outgoing Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán ordered the government to the cash and gold for 60 days. (Euronews)
Disasters and accidents
- 2026 North Musi Rawas collision
- At least 16 people are killed and four others are injured when a passenger bus crashes into a tanker truck in Sumatra, Indonesia. (AFP via Al Arabiya)
Health and environment
- MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak
- Three passengers infected with hantavirus pulmonary syndrome from the Andes virus are evacuated off the MV Hondius cruise ship while it is stationed off the coast of Cape Verde to receive treatment in the Netherlands. At least 145 people remain on board, including two suspected asymptomatic cases. (ABC News) (NBC News) (Fox News)
- Spanish authorities allow the ship to dock at the Canary Islands as several passengers are Spanish citizens. (BBC News) (Reuters)
International relations
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis, China in the 2026 Iran war, China–Iran relations
- Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi and Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi meet in Beijing, China, to discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz, among other related topics, ahead of potential Iran–U.S. talks. (Al-Monitor) (Times of Israel)
Politics and elections
- Ivory Coast dissolves its election commission following criticism over its management and independence, with authorities planning to establish a new electoral administration system. (Reuters)
- North Korea drops mention of unification with South Korea from its constitution. (Euronews)
May 7, 2026 (Thursday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Middle Eastern crisis
- 2026 Iran war
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- Pakistan foreign office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi says that a ceasefire agreement between Iran and the United States to end the war is expected "sooner rather than later". (Arab News PK)
- U.S. president Donald Trump says that the ceasefire is still in effect despite the recent strikes on the U.S. destroyers. (ABC News) (Reuters)
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- The Iranian Ports and Maritime Organization says that ports in Iran are prepared to provide maritime services, technical support, supplies, and medical assistance to ships operating in the Strait of Hormuz. (AA) (The Economic Times)
- A U.S. official tells Axios that Iran and the U.S. have reportedly exchanged fire at the Strait of Hormuz, with Iran claiming to strike three U.S. Navy ships and the U.S. claiming to strike targets on the waterway. (Axios) (AP) (Reuters)
- The U.S. Central Command confirms that the military carried out "self-defense" strikes against military facilities in response to Iran's attacks on the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers USS Truxtun, USS Rafael Peralta, and USS Mason as the three ships were transiting the Hormuz into the Gulf of Oman. (The Asia Business Daily) (CNN) (The Times of Israel)
- Several explosions are heard at a port in Qeshm and Bandar Abbas in Iran's Hormozgan province. Israel denies any involvement in the explosion, while Fox News reporter Jennifer Griffin says that the U.S. military was behind the explosions. Officials say that the explosions does not mean the restart of the war or the end of the ceasefire. (AA) (AFP via France 24) (Reuters)
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- Israeli–Palestinian conflict
- Gaza war
- Azzam Al-Hayya, the son of Hamas Political Bureau chairman Khalil al-Hayya, is confirmed by a Hamas official to have been killed during a Israel airstrike last night. (Reuters)
- Gaza war
- 2026 Iran war
- Allied Democratic Forces insurgency, Kivu conflict, Ituri conflict
- Forty people are killed and homes are burned by Allied Democratic Forces militants during attacks in North Kivu and Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. (AP)
Business and economy
- 2026 Cuban crisis
- Sherritt International suspends its mining operations in Cuba and withdraws expatriate staff, citing the risk of expanded United States sanctions affecting its operations. (AFP via News Abhiyan)
- Tariffs in the second Trump administration
- The U.S. Court of International Trade rules that the 10% global tariffs imposed by president Donald Trump are illegal. (The New York Times)
- Mastercard says that they are planning to resume services in Syria for the first time in 15 years. (SANA) (AA)
Disasters and accidents
- At least 15 people are killed and dozens of others are trapped when a gold mine collapses in West Pokot County, Kenya. (AA)
- At least five people are killed and more than 12 others are injured in a large fire at a shopping mall in Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico. (BNO News)
- At least five people are killed in a fire at a fair in Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico. (Reuters)
Health and environment
- Two children are reported to have died from tuberculosis at displacement camps in Tawila, North Darfur, Sudan. (Sudan Tribune)
International relations
- Cambodia–Thailand relations
- 2025 Cambodian–Thai border crisis
- Cambodia and Thailand agree to restore relations following talks mediated by the Philippines on the sidelines of the 48th ASEAN Summit in Cebu. (Bangkok Post) (Reuters)
- 2025 Cambodian–Thai border crisis
Law and crime
- 2024 South Korean martial law crisis
- The Seoul High Court reduces former South Korean prime minister Han Duck-soo's prison sentence from 23 years to 15 years for crimes related to former president Yoon Suk Yeol's 2024 martial law declaration, citing a lack of evidence that Han played a leading or premeditated role in the declaration. (AFP via CNA)
- Anti-corruption campaign under Xi Jinping
- Former Chinese defense ministers Li Shangfu and Wei Fenghe are both sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve following their convictions on graft charges. (BBC News) (Politico)
- 2026 Canvas security incident
- The ShinyHunters cybercrime group claims responsibility for breaching Instructure Canvas, a web-based learning management system, a second time, affecting at least 275 million teachers and students worldwide. (TRT World)
- Trafficking of Chinese nationals to scam centers abroad
- Sri Lankan authorities arrest 30 Chinese and Vietnamese nationals in Colombo in a crackdown on cyberscams in the country, raising the total number of those detained to 261. (AFP via The Straits Times)
Politics and elections
- 2026 United Kingdom local elections
- 2026 Scottish Parliament election, 2026 Senedd election
- Voters in England elect six mayors and 5,066 council seats across 136 councils. In Scotland, voters elect 129 seats to the Scottish Parliament. In Wales, voters elect 96 seats to the Senedd. (BBC News) (The Guardian)
- 2026 Scottish Parliament election, 2026 Senedd election
- Politics of Solomon Islands
- The parliament of the Solomon Islands debates a no-confidence motion against prime minister Jeremiah Manele. The debate is a culmination of a political crisis that started with mass resignations of the cabinet on 16 March, recently escalated by a ruling on 1 May by the Court of Appeal ordering the reconvening of Parliament. (RNZ)
- Manele is ousted from the premiership following a successful no-confidence motion of 26–22, with two MPs absent. Manele remains as caretaker prime minister until governor-general David Tiva Kapu declares a new prime minister. (Reuters)
- 2027 Salvadoran legislative election, Right of Salvadoran expatriates to vote
- The Legislative Assembly of El Salvador approves a constitutional reform that establishes an overseas constituency for Salvadoran expatriates. The constituency is allocated 6 seats in the 60-seat legislature. (La Prensa Gráfica in Spanish)
Sports
- International sporting sanctions during the Russian invasion of Ukraine
- Belarus at the Olympics
- The International Olympic Committee lifts restrictions on Belarusian athletes participating in the Olympic Games from 2028, while Russian athletes remain limited to individual neutral participation because of the Russian Olympic Committee's suspension. (AFP via RFI) (BBC News)
- Belarus at the Olympics
- 2027 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, 2027 NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament
- In basketball, the NCAA Division I men's and women's tournaments will expand to 76 teams beginning next year. (AP) (The Athletic via The New York Times)
May 8, 2026 (Friday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- 2026 Iran war
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- Pakistan in the 2026 Iran war, Islamabad Talks
- The Wall Street Journal reports that Iran and the United States may resume talks next week in Islamabad, Pakistan. (AA) (The Wall Street Journal)
- Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan hold a phone call to review the status of talks between Iran and the United States. (AA)
- Pakistan in the 2026 Iran war, Islamabad Talks
- 2026 Iran war ceasefire
- 2026 Iranian strikes on the United Arab Emirates
- Three people are injured after the United Arab Emirates defence ministry says that they have intercepted two ballistic missiles and three drones from Iran. Increasing the total number of injuries in the country since the war began to 230. (Khaleej Times)
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- Japanese shipping company Mitsui O.S.K. Lines says that three of their vessels that crossed the Strait of Hormuz last month did not pay transit fees. (Reuters)
- A Malta-flagged tanker carrying 1 million barrels of crude oil arrived off South Korea’s west coast Friday after passing through the Strait of Hormuz in mid-April. (AP)
- 2026 United States naval blockade of Iran
- The U.S. Central Command says that a U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet from USS George H. W. Bush has attacked two Iranian tankers, the M/T Sea Star III and M/T Sevda, as both ships were transiting the Gulf of Oman. (Stars and Stripes) (Businessinsider)
- Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaghari accuses the U.S. of violating the ceasefire after it targeted two ships at the Strait of Hormuz and strikes in the Hormozgan province, including Bandar Khamir, Sirik, and Qeshm Island yesterday. He also confirmed that Iran responded by attacking U.S. military vessels east of the waterway and south of Chabahar port. (AA) (Reuters)
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
- Sudanese civil war
- The Sudan Civil Aviation Authority issues a NOTAM that Khartoum International Airport has reopened to international traffic after previously being suspended due to the May 4 drone attack. (Sudan Tribune)
Arts and culture
- 61st Venice Biennale
- Gaza war protests
- Pavilions at the 61st Venice Biennale close after artists go on a strike in protest of Israel's entry into the event organized by the Art Not Genocide Alliance over Israel's role in the Gaza war. (Times of Israel)
- Gaza war protests
- Mass media in Niger
- Niger's junta suspends at least 10 French media organizations, including Agence France-Presse and France 24, citing concerns over public order. (AFP via The Punch) (Xinhua)
Disasters and accidents
- 2026 Liuyang fireworks factory explosion
- May 2026 eruption of Dukono
- Three hikers are killed, two are missing and 15 more rescued after the eruption of Mount Dukono on Halmahera, Indonesia. (Al Jazeera)
- Frontier Airlines Flight 4345
- An Airbus A321neo operated by Frontier Airlines strikes and kills a person while taking off from Denver International Airport in Colorado, U.S., leading to an engine fire and aborted takeoff that injures 12 passengers. (ABC7) (BBC News)
Health and environment
- MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak
- The World Health Organization reports six cases of the Andes strain of hantavirus in connection with MV Hondius. (AFP and Reuters via The Straits Times)
- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 115 people on the cruise ship Caribbean Princess have been infected by a norovirus outbreak. (ABC News)
International relations
- Poland and the European Union, European Defence Union
- Poland becomes the first country to sign a loan agreement under the European Commission's Security Action for Europe defence financing programme, securing nearly €44 billion (US$52 billion) to support military modernization and the domestic arms industry. (AFP via France 24)
- Hungary–Russia relations
- Hungary expels a Russian diplomat at the Russian embassy in Budapest identified as a SVR officer who allegedly spent years cultivating contacts in think tanks tied to the government of prime minister Viktor Orbán. (VSquare) (The New Voice of Ukraine)
Politics and elections
- 2026 United Kingdom local elections
- 2026 Scottish Parliament election, 2026 Senedd election
- The Labour Party concedes defeat in Wales with Plaid Cymru and Reform UK making significant gains, while the nationalist Scottish National Party claims victory in Scotland. (BBC News) (Reuters)
- Welsh Labour leader and First Minister of Wales Eluned Morgan resigns after losing her seat in the Senedd as Plaid Cymru claims victory in Wales. (The National)
- Reform UK take full control of Havering London Borough Council, making it the first Reform-run council in Greater London. (The Independent)
- 2026 Scottish Parliament election, 2026 Senedd election
- 2026 Bulgarian parliamentary election
- Rumen Radev is sworn in as prime minister of Bulgaria after being elected in a vote of 124–70, with 36 abstentions. (AP)
- 2026 Costa Rican general election
- Laura Fernández Delgado is sworn in as president of Costa Rica, succeeding Rodrigo Chaves Robles. (Reuters) (AP)
Science and technology
- Investigation of UFO reports by the United States government
- The United States Department of Defense begins releasing classified files, images and videos relating to unidentified flying objects. (The Independent)
May 9, 2026 (Saturday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Russo-Ukrainian war
- Peace negotiations in the Russo-Ukrainian war
- Russian president Vladimir Putin says that he thinks the Russo-Ukrainian war may come to an end soon after previously vowing victory over Ukraine during the Victory Day military parade in Moscow. (Reuters) (The Moscow Times)
- Kharkiv Oblast governor Oleh Syniehubov says that a Russian drone has struck a residential building in Kharkiv during the beginning of the 3-day ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. (Kyiv Independent)
- Peace negotiations in the Russo-Ukrainian war
- Sudanese civil war
- 2026 Blue Nile campaign
- The Sudanese Army announces that it has seized control of the Al-Kili area in the Blue Nile State from Rapid Support Forces and SPLM–N. (AA)
- 2026 Blue Nile campaign
- Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
- At least 12 police officers are killed and five others are injured after militants detonated a car bomb and attacked a police checkpoint in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. (AFP via The Times of Israel)
- Ituri conflict
- The DR Congolese military reports that at least 69 people were killed in an attack by CODECO in Ituri Province in April. (AFP via Arab News)
Arts and culture
- 61st Venice Biennale
- The 61st Venice Biennale in Italy opens to the public without a jury after the jury quit in protest of Israel's and Russia's participation and loud protests outside their pavilions. (AP)
- Exhibits from over 100 countries are shown on display including Belgium. (Brussels Times)
- 2026 Moscow Victory Day Parade
- Russia marks the Victory Day with a scaled-down military parade in Moscow. (Sky News)
Law and crime
- Arrest of Jair Bolsonaro
- Brazilian Supreme Federal Court justice Alexandre de Moraes suspends the implementation of a law that could reduce prison sentences for individuals convicted over the 2022–2023 coup plot, including former president Jair Bolsonaro, pending a constitutional review by the full court. (AFP via France 24)
- Bahrain arrests 41 individuals in connection with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including Shia clerics. (MENA via The New Arab)
Politics and elections
- 2026 Hungarian parliamentary election
- Magyar Government
- Péter Magyar of the Tisza Party is sworn in as the prime minister of Hungary, ending the 16-year tenure of Fidesz's Viktor Orbán. (Reuters)
- The National Assembly of Hungary reconvenes for the first time since the election as elected members are sworn in. Ágnes Forsthoffer is elected as speaker. (Budapest Business Journal)
- Magyar Government
- 2026 Farrer by-election
- Farrer MP David Farley becomes the first One Nation candidate elected to the Australian House of Representatives. (ABC News Australia)
May 10, 2026 (Sunday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Middle East crisis
- 2026 Iran war
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- The South Korean Blue House says that they have completed an on-site investigation into HMM cargo ship Namuho, which caught fire on May 4 while transiting the Strait of Hormuz. (The Chosun Ilbo)
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
- 2026 Iran war
May 11, 2026 (Monday)
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