Portal:Current events

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Sudanese civil war
  • Famine in Sudan
    • Integrated Food Security Phase Classification warns that 19.5 million people in Sudan are facing hunger amidst the three-year war. (Middle East Monitor)

Disasters and accidents

• Drought in Somalia
  • All UN agencies warn that the hunger and malnutrition crisis is rapidly worsening, with a growing risk of famine in Somalia. More than 6 million people of the 31 per cent of the population facing critical levels of food insecurity, while nearly 1.9 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition. Of those, approximately 493,000 children are facing severe acute malnutrition. (Relief Web) (UN News) (AA)

Health and environment

• An ebola outbreak is confirmed in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Ituri Province by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, killing 65 people. (AP)

International relations

• China–United States relations
  • 2026 state visit by Donald Trump to China, China–United States trade war
    • Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi says that China and the United States have agreed to continue implementing previous trade agreements and to establish trade and investment councils following talks between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and U.S. president Donald Trump in Beijing. (AFP via Al Arabiya)

Politics and elections

• Russo-Ukrainian war
  • 36 countries and the European Union join the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. (Euronews)
• Matthew Wale is appointed as prime minister of Solomon Islands after Jeremiah Manele was ousted in a no-confidence vote. (The Guardian)

Sports

• Boycott of Russia and Belarus
  • The United World Wrestling lifts restrictions on wrestlers from Russia and Belarus that was imposed following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and will allow them to compete under their respective national flags. (Reuters)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Somali Civil War
  • Constitutional crisis in Somalia
    • Controversies of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
      • Heavy fighting erupts in Baidoa between Somali federal government forces and troops loyal to former South West State president Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed, following disputes over regional elections and the end of president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's term tomorrow. Multiple sources confirm two senior Somali military officers from the 60th Division have been killed in a roadside ambush. (Garowe Online) (Shabelle Media)
• 2026 Iran war
  • 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
    • China–Iran relations
      • The Fars News Agency reports that Iran has allowed vessels from China to cross the Strait of Hormuz. (Roya News)
    • Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi says that ships entering the Strait of Hormuz must cooperate with the Iranian Navy. (The Guardian)
• Russo-Ukrainian war
  • Kyiv strikes
    • Russian forces launch overnight strikes in Kyiv, Ukraine, hitting among other targets, a residential building in eastern Darnytskyi district, killing 16 people and wounding 57 others, including several children. (Ukrainska Pravda) (BBC News) (AP) (NPR)
• Yemeni civil war
  • The internationally-recognized Yemeni government and the rival Supreme Political Council, which includes the Houthis, sign a deal in Amman, Jordan, following 14 weeks of negotiations to release over 1,600 detainees in the largest prisoner swap in the civil war's history since 2014. (AP) (Reuters)

Arts and culture

• 2026 FIFA World Cup
  • 2026 FIFA World Cup final
    • It is announced that South Korean boy band BTS, American singer Madonna and Colombian singer Shakira will headline the ​first-ever FIFA World Cup final halftime show at the ‌MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, United States, on July 19, 2026. (Reuters)

Business and economy

• 2025–2026 United States trade war with Canada and Mexico
  • Japanese automaker Honda suspends plans to build an electric vehicle (EV) plant in Ontario, Canada, citing weaker demand for EVs and the impact of United States tariffs on the Canadian automotive sector and corporate losses in Japan. (AFP via The Manila Times) (CBC News)
• 2026 Cuban crisis
  • Cuba announces it has completely run out of diesel fuel due to a U.S. blockade of the island as blackouts in Havana now exceed 20-22 hours per day. (UPI)

Disasters and accidents

• Seven people are killed and one critically injured after a speeding vehicle collides with a tree near Gardabani, Georgia. (Front News Georgia)
• Five Italian tourists are found dead after diving in the waters of Alimathaa, Vaavu Atoll, Maldives. (AFP via Ansa) (The Mirror)
• A medical plane operated by Trans Aero MedEvac loses radio contact and crashes near Ruidoso, New Mexico, United States, killing all four passengers on board. (AP) (Primera Hora in Spanish)
• One person is killed and 19 others are injured after a truck collided with a bus in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Xinhua)

International relations

• China–United States relations
  • 2026 state visit by Donald Trump to China
    • Chinese leader Xi Jinping and U.S. president Donald Trump, along with business leaders from both countries, meet in Beijing, China. (CNN) (The Guardian)
    • Xi warns Trump that there could be conflict if the issue of Taiwan is mishandled. (Nikkei Asia) (Al Jazeera)
    • The Executive Office of the President of the United States says that China and the U.S. have both agreed during the Trump-Xi summit that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open. (AFP via AA)
• Guyana–Venezuela relations
  • Guyana–Venezuela territorial dispute
    • Guyana demands that Venezuela investigate a series of shootings targeting its troops patrolling the Cuyuní River on the border between both countries, amid ongoing tensions as the sovereignty dispute over the Essequibo region continues at the International Court of Justice. (AP)
• Afghanistan–Russia relations
  • A Russian senior security official says that Russia will establish a "full-fledged partnership" with the Taliban government in Afghanistan, urging other countries to do the same. (Reuters)

Law and crime

• International Criminal Court investigation in the Philippines
  • 2026 Philippine Senate lockdown
    • Philippine presidential communications undersecretary Claire Castro and senate president Alan Peter Cayetano separately announce that senator Ronald dela Rosa, who has an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity related to a drug war, has left the Senate building at early morning, hours after gunshots were heard in the area the previous day. (Reuters) (The Philippine Star) (UPI)
• LGBTQ rights in Poland
  • Recognition of same-sex unions in Poland
    • Warsaw registers its first same-sex marriage following a ruling by the Supreme Administrative Court demanding officials to recognize the marriage of two Polish men in Germany. (AP)
• Piracy around the Horn of Africa
  • Piracy off the coast of Somalia
    • Somali pirates increase their ransom demands to US$10 million for the release of the Togo-registered MV Eureka tanker hijacked off Somali waters. (Garowe Online) (Hiiraan Online) (Middle East Monitor)
• Aftermath of the Korean War
  • The Seoul Central District Court in South Korea orders North Korean supreme leader Kim Jong Un to pay damages to five former Korean War prisoners who were held in North Korea after the conflict. (AFP via New Straits Times)
• Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu announces that Israel plans to sue The New York Times for running a column by Nicholas Kristof discussing the use of sexual violence against Palestinian prisoners by the Israeli military. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

• 2026 United Kingdom government crisis
  • Wes Streeting resigns as the United Kingdom's Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, saying he has "lost confidence" in prime minister Keir Starmer following the recent local elections. (BBC News) (CNN) (The New York Times)
  • Josh Simons steps down as MP for Makerfield to trigger a by-election for Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham to run for a seat in parliament. Burnham is widely considered the favourite candidate to replace Starmer in the event of a Labour Party leadership election. (ITV News)
  • Burnham confirms he has requested the permission of the National Executive Committee to stand in the upcoming Makerfield by-election. (Bloomberg) (BBC News)
• Catholic Church and same-sex marriage
  • A report authorized by Pope Leo XIV written by a Vatican working group gives detailed testimonies from gay Catholics for the first time, while condemning conversion therapy and calls for deeper understanding of same-sex marriages to overcome internal church polarization. (Church Times)
• Eighth General Conference of Fatah
  • Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas is unanimously re-elected as chairperson of the Fatah movement. (Wafa)
• Bolivian police clash with protesting miners who attempt to reach Plaza Murillo in La Paz amid protests over the state of the economy. Some of the protesters demand the resignation of president Rodrigo Paz. (Reuters)
• The Iraqi parliament approves Ali al-Zaidi as new prime minister, succeeding Muhammad Shia al-Sudani (Al Jazeera)
• Latvian prime minister Evika Siliņa resigns one day after losing her majority in the Saeima over the handling of Ukrainian drone incursions into Latvia's airspace. (AP) (DW)

Science and technology

• Paleontology in Thailand
  • Researchers from Thailand publish the discovery of the Nagatitan chaiyaphumensis in Chaiyaphum province, the largest dinosaur species ever discovered in Southeast Asia. (NPR)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Middle Eastern crisis
  • 2026 Iran war
    • 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
      • Chinese supertanker Yuan Hua Hu, which carries 2 million barrels of Iraqi crude, crosses the Strait of Hormuz after previously being stranded in the Gulf for two months following the Iran war. (Jerusalem Post)
      • Four other vessels from China cross the Strait of Hormuz within the past 24 hours, including vehicle carrier Xian Jiang Kou and oil chemical tanker Starway. (AA)
  • 2026 Lebanon war
    • At least 22 people, including eight children, are killed by Israeli drone strikes in southern Lebanon. (AFP via RTÉ)
  • Gaza war
    • ACLED reports that April was the deadliest month in Gaza this year, with more than 120 reported fatalities related to Israeli violence. (Reuters)
• Russo-Ukrainian war
  • Russian attacks on civilians in the Russo-Ukrainian war
    • Nine people are killed and at least 28 others are injured in the latest Russian drone strikes across Ukraine. (BBC News)
• Sudanese civil war
  • Darfur campaign
    • At least two people are killed and several others are injured in a drone strike in El Geneina, West Darfur, Sudan. (Sudan Tribune)
• Insurgency in Balochistan
  • Clashes between Pakistani forces and the Balochistan Liberation Army in Balochistan, Pakistan, kill five soldiers, including an army major, and seven insurgents. (AP)

Business and economy

• Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
  • 2026 Iran war fuel crisis
    • The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that the oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen to 30% in the first quarter of 2026 as compared to the previous quarter. (AA)
• Merger of Korean Air and Asiana Airlines
  • Korean Air announces plans to launch an integrated flag carrier for South Korea on 17 December following the completion of legal procedures for its acquisition of Asiana Airlines. (AA)
• Germany approves reforms to its heating law and adopts new electricity supply legislation that enables support for 9 GW of new gas-fired power plants. (S&P Global)
• The Ocean Dream Diamond sells for US$17 million at a Christie's auction, setting a record price for a blue-green diamond sold at auction. (AFP via France 24)
• The United States-based Allegiant Travel Company completes its acquisition of Sun Country Airlines, successfully merging it with Allegiant Air to combine the 14th and 17th largest airlines in North America. (WDAY)

Disasters and accidents

• Over 104 people are killed and 59 others are injured from a powerful storm and heavy rain across about a dozen districts of Uttar Pradesh, India. (Reuters)
• Four people are killed in a two-story house fire in North Jakarta, Indonesia. (Xinhua)

International relations

• 2026 Cuban crisis, Cuba–United States relations
  • U.S. secretary of state Marco Rubio says the U.S. has renewed a $100 million humanitarian aid offer to Cuba amid the island's crisis and urges cooperation from the Cuban government. (AFP via Arab News)
• Ghana–South Africa relations, Xenophobia in South Africa
  • Ghanaian foreign minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa announces plans to evacuate about 300 citizens from South Africa following attacks targeting sub-Saharan African migrants. (Reuters)

Law and crime

• International Criminal Court investigation in the Philippines
  • 2026 Philippine Senate lockdown
    • Gunshots are reported at the Philippine senate building amid tensions surrounding a possible arrest of senator Ronald dela Rosa under an International Criminal Court warrant for alleged crimes against humanity. (AFP via The Peninsula) (Reuters)
• Murder of Eric Richins
  • A U.S. court sentences author Kouri Richins to life imprisonment without parole after convicting her of murdering her husband with fentanyl in 2022. (AFP via ABS-CBN News)
• Trial of Alex Murdaugh
  • The South Carolina Supreme Court overturns the sentence of Alex Murdaugh, convicted in 2023 for the 2021 double homicide of his wife and son, citing jury interference by a court clerk. Motions are made for a new trial. (NYT)
• Sussex Police say they have recovered the bodies of three women off a beach in Brighton, England, and are working to identify the women. (The Guardian)
• The U.S. Senate blocks a War Powers Resolution to curtail president Donald Trump's war powers in the Iran war for a 7th time in a 49–50 vote, with John Fetterman being the lone Democrat senator to vote against it. (AP)

Politics and elections

• Constitutional crisis in Somalia, 2026 Somali presidential election
  • Controversies of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
    • United Kingdom and United States-mediated talks in Mogadishu, Somalia, between president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud and the opposition led by regional president Said Abdullahi Deni have broken down without an agreement. The deadlock centres on bitter disputes over the country's upcoming electoral framework, technical delays, and regional vote-rigging accusations in South West State of Somalia. (Garowe Online) (Somali Guardian)
• 2026 Niuean general election
  • Niuean prime minister Dalton Tagelagi is re-elected for a third term in office following a vote of 11–9. (Pacific Media Network)
• 2026 State Opening of Parliament
  • King Charles III makes the speech from the House of Lords opening the new UK parliamentary session. (BBC News) (NBC News)
• Alberta separatism
  • A Canadian judge rules that Elections Alberta improperly approved a petition seeking a referendum on provincial independence without consulting Indigenous groups. (AFP via The Manila Times)
• Attacks in Russia during the Russo-Ukrainian war
  • Russian president Vladimir Putin replaces the governors of the border regions of Belgorod and Bryansk Oblast, Vyacheslav Gladkov and Alexander Bogomaz respectively, with army general Alexander Shuvaev and former occupation official Yegor Kovalchuk, respectively, amid continuing cross-border attacks linked to the Russo-Ukrainian war. (Bloomberg) (Reuters)
• Latvian prime minister Evika Siliņa loses her parliamentary majority after the Progressives withdraw support from the governing coalition and calls for talks on forming a new government. (Reuters)
• In the Central African Republic, the Government of Prime Minister Félix Moloua resigns. (Koaci)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Middle Eastern crisis
  • 2026 Iran war
    • 2026 Iranian strikes on Arab countries
      • Israel–United Arab Emirates relations, 2026 Iranian strikes on the United Arab Emirates
        • United States ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee says that Israel has deployed Iron Dome air defense systems and military personnel to the United Arab Emirates amid the Iranian strikes. (AFP via The Hindu)
      • 2026 Iranian strikes on Saudi Arabia
        • It is reported that Saudi Arabia launched retaliatory strikes against Iran in response to Iranian strikes on the country during the war. (Reuters)
    • 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
      • 2026 Iran war ceasefire, Pakistan in the 2026 Iran war
        • U.S. president Donald Trump says he backs Pakistan as a mediator in ceasefire talks amidst reports that the country allowed Iran to station aircraft at the PAF Base Nur Khan. (Arab News PK)
    • 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
      • 2026 Strait of Hormuz campaign
        • British defence secretary John Healey announces that the United Kingdom has deployed Typhoon fighter jets and the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Dragon as part of a mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz. (BBC News) (Middle East Monitor)
  • Hezbollah–Israel conflict
    • 2026 Lebanon war
      • Lebanese health minister Rakan Nassereddine says that Israeli attacks have killed at least 108 medics and health workers since the war began on March 2, and at least 380 people have been killed and 1,122 have been injured since the ceasefire began on April 17. (AA)
  • Gaza war
    • Sexual and gender-based violence in the October 7 attacks
      • A new 300-page report by the Israeli non-profit organization Civil Commission claims that Hamas engaged in sexual violence and rape during the October 7 attacks on Israel. (ABC Australia) (BBC News) (The New York Times)
• Russo-Ukrainian war
  • Attacks in Russia during the Russo-Ukrainian war
    • Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy states that the military has attacked several gas facilities in Orenburg Oblast, Russia. (Reuters)
  • Russian attacks on civilians in the Russo-Ukrainian war
    • Six people are killed and seven others, including a nine-month-old child, are injured in Russian drone strikes in Kryvyi Rih, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, Ukraine. (Reuters)
  • Russian president Vladimir Putin says Russia will deploy new Sarmat nuclear missiles this year. (Reuters)
• Sudanese civil war
  • 2026 Blue Nile campaign
    • The International Organization for Migration reports that 50,000 people have been displaced from their homes in the Blue Nile region. (Middle East Monitor) (Sudan Tribune)
  • Darfur campaign
    • A drone strike hits a local market and civilian vehicles in Karnoi, North Darfur, Sudan, destroying property and causing casualties. (Sudan Tribune)
• Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
  • A bomb explodes inside a bazaar in Lakki Marwat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, killing at least 10 people and wounding over 30 others. (Reuters)

Arts and culture

• 2026 Georgian patriarchal election
  • Shio III is enthroned as Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia at the Svetitskhoveli cathedral. (Georgian Public Broadcaster)

Business and economy

• American autonomous driving technology company Waymo recalls 3,800 robotaxis over risks that they could enter flooded areas. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

• Five people are killed and two others are injured after a fire at a residential building in Hengyang, Hunan, China. (The Statesman) (Xinhua)
• A World War II-era P-51D Mustang crashes near Vicksburg–Tallulah Regional Airport in Mound, Louisiana. The pilot, who was killed in the crash, was Dan Fordice, son of the former Governor of Mississippi Kirk Fordice. (AVWeb)

Health and environment

• MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak
  • An American traveller, suspected of potential contact with the hantavirus, is quarantined upon arrival in the Pitcairn Islands after transiting through French Polynesia. (RNZ)
  • The Spanish health ministry confirms the country's first case of hantavirus in a Spanish passenger from the MV Hondius who has been in isolation at a hospital in Madrid since 11 May. (The Economic Times)

International relations

• Denmark–United States relations
  • Greenland Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen confirms that expanding U.S. military presence in Greenland is part of talks between the United States and Denmark amidst efforts to resolve a crisis caused by Trump's desire to purchase the island. (Reuters)

Law and crime

• 2026 Iranian strikes on Bahrain
  • Bahrain sentences three people to life imprisonment and more than 20 others to prison terms over charges linked to collaboration with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. (AFP via The Manila Times)
• Climate change in New Zealand
  • New Zealand justice minister Paul Goldsmith announces plans to amend the country's law to prevent courts from holding companies liable for climate change-related harm linked to greenhouse gas emissions. (AFP via The Times of India)

Politics and elections

• 2026 United Kingdom government crisis
  • British prime minister Keir Starmer tells his cabinet he has "no intention" of resigning after several ministers and more than 90 Labour Party MPs call on him to resign or set a timetable for a new party leader to be elected later this year. (AP) (BBC News)
  • Four ministers resign following Starmer's refusal to resign, namely Zubir Ahmed, Alex Davies-Jones, Miatta Fahnbulleh, and Jess Phillips. (BBC News) (UPI)
• 2025–2026 United States redistricting
  • The Republican-led South Carolina Senate rejects redistricting efforts to redraw the congressional districts in the U.S. state of South Carolina, including efforts to eliminate the seat represented by U.S. congressman Jim Clyburn. (The Guardian) (NBC News)
• 2026 Bahamian general election
  • Bahamians vote to elect 41 seats of the House of Assembly. Incumbent prime minister Philip Davis becomes the first prime minister to be re-elected for a second consecutive term in office since 1997. (Reuters)
• 2026 Ugandan general election
  • Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni is re-inaugurated for a 7th term. (Africanews) (Reuters)
• Cambodian–Thai border dispute
  • The Cambodian National Assembly approves the extension of military conscription to two years and increases penalties for draft evasion amid border clashes with Thailand. (AFP via CNA)
• 2026 Hungarian parliamentary election
  • Magyar Government
    • Ministers of the new Cabinet of Prime Minister Péter Magyar are sworn in and take office. (AP)
• Nauru announces plans to hold a referendum on changing the country's official name to "Naoero", a move that would require a constitutional amendment. (AFP via The Manila Times)
• Brazilian president Lula da Silva announces the formal creation of the Ministry of Public Security after its previous iteration was folded into the Ministry of Justice in 2019. (Agencia Brasil)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• 2026 Iran war
  • 2026 Iran war ceasefire
    • Pakistani deputy prime minister and foreign minister Ishaq Dar meets with United States chargé d'affaires Natalie A. Baker in Islamabad to discuss efforts to secure a ceasefire and broader agreement between Iran and the U.S. to end the war. (Arab News)
  • The Wall Street Journal reports that the United Arab Emirates has secretly joined Israel and the U.S. in carrying out airstrikes on Iran during the war. Additionally, Emirati forces have reportedly struck a oil refinery on Lavan Island in April. (Middle East Eye)
• Sudanese civil war
  • War crimes during the Sudanese civil war
    • The United Nations reports that 880 civilians in Sudan had been killed in drone strikes by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) between January and April, mostly in the Darfur and Kordofan regions in the first three months of 2026. (Euronews)
  • RSF field commander Ali Rizq announces that he will defect from the paramilitary group, making it the second high-profile departure from the paramilitary group in less than two months. (Sudan Tribune)
• Haitian conflict
  • At least 40 people are reported injured following gang violence in Cité Soleil, Port-au-Prince, Haiti. (AP)

Arts and culture

• 2026 Georgian patriarchal election
  • Shio III is elected Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia, becoming head of the Georgian Orthodox Church. (Reuters)
• Eurovision Song Contest 2026, International reactions to the Gaza war
  • Public broadcasters in Ireland, Slovenia, and Spain announce that they will not air the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in protest over Israel's participation amid the Gaza war. (AFP via Al Arabiya)

Business and economy

• Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
  • 2026 Iran war fuel crisis
    • Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser says that the oil market will not normalize until 2027 if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed beyond mid-June. (CNBC)

Disasters and accidents

• Five people are killed as a speeding motorcycle crashes into a car in Mahabubnagar, Telangana, India. (NDTV)
• A boat carrying undocumented migrants sinks off Pangkor Island, Malaysia, leaving 14 people missing and 23 others rescued. (AFP via Daily Tribune)
• At least one person is killed, three others are injured and others are possibly trapped after a pipeline explosion damages at least 35 properties during construction by Sabesp in Jaguaré, São Paulo, Brazil. (BNO News)

Health and environment

• 2026 Bangladesh measles outbreak
  • The Bangladeshi Directorate General of Health Services reports eleven children have died of measles in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 344 child deaths since the outbreak began in March. (Bernama)

International relations

• 2026 Cuban crisis, Cuba–Mexico relations
  • Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum announces a new shipment of humanitarian aid to Cuba in response to the island's worsening economic and humanitarian conditions linked to the U.S. oil blockade. (AFP via Jamaica Observer)
• Denmark–United States relations, Greenland crisis
  • Denmark and the United States hold high-level talks for the U.S. to open three military bases and expand military presence in Greenland in an effort to resolve the crisis there. (BBC News) (Sweden Herald)
• Evacuations during the Gaza war, Italy–Palestine relations
  • Italy evacuates 72 Palestinian students in Gaza under the "university corridor" initiative that allows them to continue studying at universities in Italy and San Marino. (Middle East Monitor)
• United States sanctions against Iran
  • The U.S. government issues sanctions against three people and nine companies accused of aiding shipping of Iranian oil to China. (Reuters)

Law and crime

• International Criminal Court investigation in the Philippines
  • 2026 Philippine senate lockdown
    • The Philippine senate is placed under lockdown after an altercation involving the National Bureau of Investigation and senator Ronald dela Rosa during an attempt to serve the arrest order from the International Criminal Court against dela Rosa. (Philippine Daily Inquirer) (Reuters)
• 14th floor case
  • Former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is released from prison on parole after serving eight months of a one-year sentence for corruption. (AFP via France 24)
• United Kingdom anti-immigration protests
  • British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood bans seven foreign far-right activists, including American influencer Valentina Gomez, from entering the UK, who were planning to attend a far-right rally in London, England, led by Tommy Robinson. Prime minister Keir Starmer says "agitators" will be blocked from entering the country ahead of the rally on May 16. (The Guardian)
• Three people are killed and five others are injured in a suspected arson attack on a seven-story building in Décines-Charpieu, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France. (Entrevue)
• The Israeli parliament passes a law that allows military trials for Palestinian suspects involved in the October 7 attacks by Hamas. (The New York Times)

Politics and elections

• 2026 FIFA World Cup
  • Mexico's Secretariat of Public Education reverses a proposal to shorten the academic year ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup following criticism from parents, local authorities, and education groups. (AFP via RFI)
• 2026 Philippine senate presidential election
  • Thirteen Philippine senators vote to install minority leader Alan Peter Cayetano as senate president, ousting Tito Sotto in a surprise move. (Gulf News) (Philippine Daily Inquirer)
• Politics of Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Christian Schmidt announces his resignation as High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina. He will stay in office until a replacement is found. (AP) (BBC News)
• Second impeachment of Sara Duterte
  • Philippine vice president Sara Duterte is impeached by the House of Representatives for the second time. (AFP via RFI) (BBC News)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Middle East crisis
  • 2026 Iran war
    • 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
      • 2026 Iran war ceasefire, Pakistan in the 2026 Iran war
        • Iranian state TV says that Iran has sent its response to the latest ceasefire proposal from the United States via Pakistan. Pakistani prime minister Shehbaz Sharif confirms that his country received the response. (Reuters) (Arab News PK)
        • United States president Donald Trump calls the Iranian response "totally unacceptable" and says he would reject it. (Axios)
    • 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
      • The Qatar-linked LNG tanker Al Kharaitiyat, managed by Nakilat, crosses the Strait of Hormuz, making it the first oil tanker or vessel from Qatar to transit the waterway since the war began on February 28. The ship is expected to head to Pakistan. (The Week) (Fortune) (Financial Times)
      • A joint investigation by South Korea concludes that two unidentified airborne projectiles struck the HMM cargo ship Namu in the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire and damaging the vessel, while authorities continue investigating the type of weapon and the party responsible. (AFP via Arab News) (The Chosun Ilbo)
  • 2026 Lebanon war
    • 2026 Israel–Lebanon ceasefire
      • Israeli attacks kill at least 39 people in Lebanon despite a ceasefire that took effect last month. The Israeli Defense Forces states that the target was an armed Hezbollah group. (New York Times) (BBC News)
• Boko Haram insurgency
  • Dozens of Nigerian fishermen are reportedly killed in Chadian airstrikes targeting suspected Boko Haram positions by Lake Chad. (AFP via The New Indian Express)
• Nigerian bandit conflict
  • At least 30 people are killed after gunmen ambushed travelers on a highway in Zamfara State, Nigeria. (AFP via The Korea Times)

Business and economy

• Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
  • Sri Lanka raises electricity tariffs by up to 18% for high-consumption users to offset increased power generation costs linked to the Iran war. (AFP via The Daily Star)

Disasters and accidents

• Seven suspected immigrants reportedly being smuggled are found dead in a train boxcar and near train tracks in Laredo and San Antonio, Texas, United States. (NBC News)
• Four people are killed and 10 injured after a jeepney carrying 20 people collides into a tree in Oriental Mindoro province, Philippines. (Xinhua)

Health and environment

• MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak
  • MV Hondius arrives on Tenerife, Spain, after being anchored at the Canary Islands. Passengers on the ship evacuate after previously being exposed to the hantavirus. (AP)

International relations

• Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip
  • Israel deports activists Thiago Ávila and Saif Abu Keshek, both of whom were detained after the interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla in international waters near Greece. (AFP via RFI)
• Morocco–United States relations, Exercise African Lion
  • The remains of an American soldier who went missing during a military exercise in Morocco are found on the country's Atlantic coastline by the Moroccan military. (AP)

Law and crime

• Officials say that six people have been found dead inside a boxcar on a Union Pacific freight train in Laredo, Texas, U.S. (NBC News) (Reuters)

Politics and elections

• 2025–2026 Iranian protests
  • 2026 Iranian diaspora protests
    • Protests organized by exiled Iranian crown prince Reza Pahlavi are held globally against the regime’s crackdown of mass arrests, executions, and internet blackout, which has lasted 70 days. (Arab Times) (Jerusalem Post)
• Constitutional crisis in Somalia, 2026 Somali presidential election
  • Controversies of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
    • One civilian killed and another injured after Somali armed forces opened gunfire to disperse an opposition‑led protest in Mogadishu, days before president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud's term ends. (Africa News)
• Violations of non-combatant airspace during the Russo-Ukrainian war
  • Andris Sprūds resigns as Latvian defence minister after Ukrainian drones violated Latvian airspace during an attack on Russia. (Politico EU)

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 strikes (2022–present)
    • 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)
• Mali War
  • 2026 Mali offensives
    • Sources say that 70 people were killed in a new wave of attacks in central Mali the previous day. Al-Qaeda-linked Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin claims responsibility. (Daily Beiruit) (Times of India)
  • Supporters of the Mali military junta gather in Bamako gather to reaffirm their support of Transitional Council authorities. (Africanews)
• Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
  • 2026 Bannu attacks
    • At least 21 police officers are killed and three others are injured in a car bomb, followed by gunfire and other explosions, at a checkpoint in Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. (Al Jazeera)
• 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)
• 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)

Disasters and accidents

• Four miners are found dead following an explosion at a coal mine in Cucunubá, Ubaté Province, Colombia. (AFP via Citizen Digital)

Health and environment

• MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak
  • British Army medics are parachuted from an RAF A400M onto the remote Atlantic island of Tristan da Cunha to deliver vital supplies to a British national with suspected hantavirus. (BBC 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)
• 2026 Farrer by-election
  • Farrer MP David Farley becomes the first One Nation candidate elected to the Australian House of Representatives. (ABC News Australia)