Portal:Current events

Topics in the news

Francisco Carvalho

• In golf, Aaron Rai wins the PGA Championship.
• The African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde, led by Francisco Carvalho (pictured), wins the most seats in the parliamentary election.
• Bulgaria, represented by Dara with the song "Bangaranga", wins the Eurovision Song Contest.
• The World Health Organization declares the Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a public health emergency of international concern.
• Protests erupt in Bolivia against the government of Rodrigo Paz, causing clashes between the protesters and the police.

Ongoing:

• Iran war (Lebanon war)
• Russo-Ukrainian war
  • timeline
• Sudanese civil war
  • timeline

Recent deaths:

• Kyle Busch
• Félicien Kabuga
• Valie Export
• Barney Frank
• Scott Hastings
• Felicity Lott

May 23, 2026 (2026-05-23) (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• 2026 Iran war
  • 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
    • 2026 Iran war ceasefire
      • Pakistan in the 2026 Iran war
        • Iran, the United States, and mediator Pakistan reports that progress has been made in ceasefire talks, with the Iranian foreign ministry saying that Iran is focused on finalizing a memorandum of understanding. (Reuters)
        • The Pakistan Army confirms in a statement that "encouraging progress" in negotations has been made following a visit by field marshal Asim Munir to Tehran the previous day in which he met with Iranian officials such as Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, and Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi. (AA)
      • Financial Times reports that mediators are nearing a deal to extend the ceasefire between the United States and Iran by 60 days and establish a framework for nuclear talks. (CNBC) (Financial Times)
  • 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
    • The U.S. Central Command says that they have redirected 100 commercial ships and disabled four others from the Strait of Hormuz to enforce the blockade. (AA)

Health and environment

• 2026 Ituri Province Ebola epidemic
  • The International Red Cross announces that three of its local volunteers have died from Ebola while working in the Djugu territory, Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), in March. (CBS News)
  • Uganda's health ministry confirms three new Ebola cases, a woman who traveled from the DRC and two Ugandan workers that had contact with her, bringing the country's total to five cases and one death. (RFI)

International relations

• Ukraine–Vietnam relations, Kazakhstan–Ukraine relations
  • In accordance with bilateral agreements, the Vietnamese government grants 40 scholarships to Ukrainians for the 2026–2027 academic year for Bachelor's, Master's, and postgraduate degrees, including a one-year language course for those who do not speak Vietnamese. The Kazakh government also grants 40 scholarships for similar degrees. (Interfax-Ukraine)

Sports

• 2026 FIFA World Cup
  • The DR Congo national football team announces that it will maintain its planned schedule, including two friendly matches in Belgium and Spain, before going to Houston, Texas, United States, despite being warned to isolate, as the entire squad is based outside of the DRC. (Reuters via Al Jazeera)

May 22, 2026 (2026-05-22) (Friday)

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
          • Pakistan Army field marshal Asim Munir visits Tehran, Iran, in a effort to broker a ceasefire deal between Iran and the United States to end the war. (AFP via The Daily Star) (Axios)
          • According to the Tasnim News Agency, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and field marshal Asim Munir held late night talks amidst ongoing diplomatic efforts. (The News PK)
        • A source citing Reuters says that a negotiating team from Qatar arrives in Tehran in an effort to secure a peace deal between Iran and the U.S. to end the war. (Reuters) (Shafaq)
        • Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi says that "excessive demands" by the U.S. are the main obstacle in the peace talks. (Al Jazeera)
        • An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson says that Iran will not agree to give its highly enriched uranium to the U.S. (Al Jazeera)
    • 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
      • The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy reports that 35 ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz with permission over the previous 24 hours. (Al Jazeera)
      • A Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker crosses the strait for the first time in nearly two weeks, bound from Ras Laffan to Tianjin, China. (Al Jazeera)
  • 2026 Lebanon war
    • 2026 Israel–Lebanon ceasefire
      • Six people are killed and six more injured in an Israeli airstrike in Deir Qanoun an-Naher. Two paramedics are among the fatalities, while three more are injured. (Al Jazeera)
      • A paramedic is killed and four more are injured in two separate Israeli airstrikes in Tyre District. (Al Jazeera)
  • Gaza war
    • Israeli drone strikes kill two people in Rafah and Gaza City. (Al Jazeera) (Al Jazeera)
• Russo-Ukrainian war
  • Attacks in Russia during the Russo-Ukrainian war, Luhansk Oblast campaign
    • 2026 Starobilsk strike
      • Russian president Vladimir Putin says that a drone strike on a dormitory and school in Russian-occupied Luhansk Oblast has killed at least six people and injured dozens more, attributing the attack to Ukraine, but Ukraine's military describes the comments from Russia as manipulation, saying it hit a drone command unit in Starobilsk. (ABC Australia) (AFP via Asharq Al-Awsat) (Reuters)
  • Peace negotiations in the Russo-Ukrainian war
    • U.S. secretary of state Marco Rubio says that no peace talks are currently taking place, but the United States is "ready" to play a role if they resume. (AA)
• Mali War
  • 2026 Mali offensives
    • The Malian military conducts drone strikes on the governor's office and other locations in Kidal, Kidal Region, Mali, which did not cause any casualties. (The Defense Post)
• Colombian conflict
  • Seven people are killed and 110 more injured in clashes between the Misak and Nasa, rival Indigenous groups, over a dispute to a land in Silvia, Cauca Department, Colombia. The army has deployed 500 soldiers in response. (AP)

Business and economy

• Mexico–European Union relations
  • Free Trade Agreement between Mexico and the European Union
    • Mexico and the European Union sign an updated trade agreement that reduces tariffs and expands market access. (AFP via RFI)
• Israel–Netherlands relations
  • The Dutch cabinet approves a bill to ban the importation of goods from Israeli settlements, and will explore if the ban can be extended to services and investments. (NU.nl in Dutch)

Disasters and accidents

• 2026 Liushenyu coal mine explosion
  • More than 90 miners are killed and others are injured in a mining accident after a gas explosion at a coal mine in Shanxi, China. (Sky News)
• The death toll from a building collapse in Fez, Morocco, yesterday rises to 15. (AFP via Arab News PK)
• One person is killed and 36 others are injured, including two seriously, in an explosion at a dry dock in Staten Island, New York, United States.(AP) (BBC News)
• At least one person is killed and nine others are injured in an explosion at the petrochemical plant of MOL in Tiszaújváros, Borsod–Abaúj–Zemplén County, Hungary. (Reuters)
• Major power outages at night on Sumatra island leave millions without electricity for hours. Several officials declare a state of emergency due to concerns over temperature and weather conditions.(Jakarta Globe) (Tempo)

Health and environment

• 2026 Ebola epidemic
  • The World Health Organization raises its assessment of the risk from the Ebola outbreak within the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from "high" to "very high" due to its rapid spread, while keeping it "low" at the global level. Director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says that the outbreak in Uganda is stable. (AA) (AP)
  • The Ituri provincial government orders funerals to be conducted only by specialized personnel, limits public gatherings to no more than fifty people, and suspends the local football league. (Reuters)
  • Rwanda imposes a travel ban on foreign nationals that have been to the DRC in the past thirty days, and requires a quarantine for Rwandan citizens or residents who have been there. (Reuters)
  • United Nations emergency relief coordinator Tom Fletcher announces that the organization is providing US$60 million in funding for the outbreak response. (Reuters)

International relations

• Reactions to the 2026 Iran war, Taiwan–United States relations
  • Acting U.S. navy secretary Hung Cao says that the United States has put on hold US$14 billion of arms sales to Taiwan to preserve munitions during the Iran war. (Al Jazeera)
• NATO conducts Operation Arcade Strike, an exercise in drone warfare, at an unused platform of the London Underground's Charing Cross tube station to be prepared for potential conflict with Russia by 2030. (The Independent) (The New Voice of Ukraine)

Politics and elections

• 2026 Slovenian parliamentary election
  • Slovenia elects Democratic Party leader Janez Janša as prime minister after lawmakers approve a minority coalition government, replacing former prime minister Robert Golob of the Freedom Movement. (AFP via The Times of Israel) (Bloomberg)
• Senegalese president Bassirou Diomaye Faye dismisses prime minister Ousmane Sonko and dissolves the government amid growing tensions within the ruling coalition and ongoing economic challenges in Senegal. (AFP via France 24)
• The New York Post reports that Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, a commander of the IRGC-aligned Shia Iraqi militia group Kata'ib Hezbollah, who was arrested earlier this month in Turkey for plotting terror attacks across Europe and North America including Jewish sites, also plotted to assassinate U.S. president Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump in retaliation of the 2020 strike against former Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani. (Ynetnews) (The Free Press Journal) (First Post)

Sports

• 2026 FIFA World Cup
  • Andrew Giuliani, head of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Task Force, says that the DR Congo soccer team must isolate for 21 days or risk the ability to enter the U.S. for the upcoming FIFA World Cup amidst the ebola outbreak in the country. (ESPN)

May 21, 2026 (2026-05-21) (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Russo-Ukrainian War
  • Southern front of the Russo-Ukrainian war
    • Russian occupation of Kherson Oblast
      • Ukraine Secret Service Alpha Group forces strike a Russian Federal Security Service headquarters in Kherson Oblast, Ukraine. (The Kyiv Independent)
  • Belarusian involvement in the Russo-Ukrainian War
    • Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko says that his country will not join the current war, and says that he is ready to meet Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. (Kyiv Post) (AFP via Ukrinform)
• Somali Civil War
  • Constitutional crisis in Somalia
    • Casualties are reported with no exact number after heavy fighting breaks out on the outskirts of regional capital Baidoa between forces loyal to the federal government and troops aligned with South West State ousted president Abdiaziz Laftagareen. (Garowe Online) (Hiiraan Online) (Horseed Media)
• Sudanese civil war
  • Kordofan campaign
    • The Sudan Doctors Network reports that a drone strike by the Rapid Support Forces and Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North in Dilling, South Kordofan, Sudan, has injured six people. (AA)

Disasters and accidents

• Garden Grove gas leak
  • A chemical tank containing 7,000 U.S. gal (26,000 L) of methyl methacrylate at the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove, California, United States, overheats and is on the verge of exploding. Over 40,000 residents in the nearby area are ordered to evacuate as response teams do not have a novel solution to prevent the tank from cracking or entering thermal runaway. (KTLA-5) (The Guardian)
• Ten people are killed in a head-on collision between a minibus and a bus in Mpumalanga, South Africa. (Xinhua)
• At least nine people are killed and nine others are injured when a building collapses in Fez, Morocco. (Reuters)

Health and environment

• 2026 Ebola epidemic
  • Africa–India relations
    • India and the African Union postpone the upcoming India–Africa Forum Summit, originally scheduled to be held in New Delhi between May 28 and 31, due to the Ebola outbreak in parts of Africa. (The Hindu)
  • India, South Korea, and Thailand issue travel alerts for the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, while South Korea plans to impose a level-4 travel ban for parts of the DRC, especially the Ituri Province, due to the Ebola outbreak in both countries. (Türkiye) (Yonhap)
  • The United States temporarily pauses deportation flights to the DRC. (CNN) (Politico)
  • Uganda temporarily suspends flights to and from the DRC. (The New York Times)
  • Residents protesting the handling of the public health crisis set ablaze an Ebola treatment center in the Ituri Province after Congolese police fired warning shots and tear gas. (Al Jazeera) (Journal Gazette) (Reuters)

International relations

• Greenland crisis
  • The United States inaugurates a new consulate in Nuuk, Greenland, amidst the Trump administration's focus on the Arctic and tensions over efforts to purchase it. (Politico) (Democrata ES)
  • Greenlanders gather to protest the opening of the new U.S. consulate in Nuuk in opposition to U.S. president Donald Trump's efforts to purchase Greenland. (Reuters)
  • Greenland prime minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen says that he will not attend the opening ceremony of the new U.S. consulate in Nuuk. (AA)
  • U.S. ambassador to Denmark Ken Howery says that Trump has ruled out the use of military force against Greenland. (Xinhua)

Law and crime

• Capital punishment in the United States
  • Capital punishment in Alabama
    • Hamm v. Smith
      • The U.S. Supreme Court dismisses an appeal by the state of Alabama challenging a lower court decision to block the execution of Joseph Clifton Smith, an intellectually disabled man convicted of a 1997 murder. The court says that executing Smith would violate his constitutional rights. (The Guardian)
• Crime in Honduras
  • Twenty people are killed in a mass shooting at a ranch in the village of Rigores, Trujillo, Colón Department, Honduras. In a separate incident, five police officers and three alleged gang members are killed in a shootout in the village of Corinto, Omoa, Cortés Department. (Sky News)
• Trafficking of Chinese nationals to scam centers abroad
  • Thai police arrest eleven additional suspects linked to a cyber fraud network allegedly connected to Chinese national Sun Mingchen, who faces weapons charges after authorities discovered military-grade firearms and explosives at his residence in Pattaya, Chonburi. (AFP via The Straits Times)
• The Court of Appeal of Paris, France, convicts Airbus and Air France of manslaughter over the 2009 crash of Air France Flight 447, which killed 228 people, and orders both companies to pay the maximum corporate fine and compensation to victims' families. (Al Jazeera) (The New York Times)

Politics and elections

• 2026 Somali presidential election
  • Controversies of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
    • The Government of Puntland states that federal executive and legislative mandates under the Somali provisional constitution have ended, as federal institutions enter a transitional phase with unclear mandates. (Garowe Online) (Horseed Media)

Sports

• 2025–26 Saudi Pro League
  • In association football, Al-Nassr win their 11th Saudi Pro League title after defeating Damac 3–1 on the final matchday of the season. (AFP via France 24)

May 20, 2026 (2026-05-20) (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
          • Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei says that Iran has received and is reviewing a new proposal from the United States regarding talks to end the war, while Pakistani interior minister Mohsin Naqvi visits Tehran to facilitate exchanges between the two sides. (AFP via Al-Ahram) (Arab News PK)
          • Saudi Arabia news channels Al Arabiya and Al Hadath reports that Islamabad is likely to hold the second round of talks between Iran and the U.S. after the Hajj season ends. (Pakistan Observer) (Dunya News)
    • 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
      • Two supertankers from China carrying four million barrels ​of Middle East crude oil exit the Strait of Hormuz after staying in the Persian Gulf for two months since the war started on February 28. (Reuters)
      • A South Korean-flagged oil tanker safely transits the Strait of Hormuz, marking the first passage by a South Korean vessel through the waterway since the war started. (AFP via AA) (Yonhap)
      • The Iranian Navy claims that it has allowed 26 ships to cross the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours. (Oman Observer)
  • 2026 Lebanon war
    • 2026 Israel–Lebanon ceasefire
      • Israeli airstrikes kill at least eight people in Ad-Doueir, Tibnin, Burj el-Shamali, and Shebaa in southern Lebanon. (Al Jazeera)

Business and economy

• Housing in the United States
  • The U.S. House of Representatives votes 396–13 to pass the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, aimed at helping offset the cost-of-living and support affordable housing in the United States. The bill heads back to the U.S. Senate for any revisions. (The New York Times) (Politico)

Disasters and accidents

• The 1,200-year-old Reikado Hall in the Daishō-in temple complex in Itsukushima, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, burns down completely. (NHK in Japanese) (Nippon.com)

Health and environment

• 2026 Ebola epidemic
  • The World Health Organization reports that the Ebola virus outbreak in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo likely began two months ago due to a superspreading event, and initially went undetected. (Reuters)
  • An Air France flight from Paris, France, to Detroit, Michigan, U.S., is diverted to Montreal, Quebec, Canada, due to flight restrictions imposed by the U.S., as a passenger on the flight is from the DR Congo. (CBS News)
• MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak
  • American MV Hondius passengers quarantined in Nebraska following exposure to the hantavirus on the ship will remain in quarantine until the end of May. (NBC News)
• The United Nations General Assembly adopts a resolution reaffirming states' obligations to address climate change and recognizing a recent advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice on states' legal responsibilities regarding climate commitments. (AFP via France 24)

International relations

• Bolivia–Colombia relations, 2026 Bolivian protests
  • Bolivia and Colombia expel each other's ambassadors amid a diplomatic dispute over comments by Colombian president Gustavo Petro regarding anti-government protests in Bolivia. (BGNES) (Reuters)
• United States and the United Nations, United States support for Israel in the Gaza war
  • The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control removes sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on occupied Palestinian territories, after district judge Richard J. Leon of the District of Columbia blocked measures imposed over Albanese's criticism of Israel and its actions in Gaza. (AFP via ABS-CBN News)
• Violations of non-combatant airspace during the Russo-Ukrainian war
  • Lithuania issues an air raid alert in Vilnius after the military detected a drone signal near the Belarusian border, marking the first time since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 that an EU and NATO member state has ordered the general population to take shelter. (AFP via RFI) (AP)
• Somalia–United States relations
  • Government of Puntland officials hosted a high-level United States delegation in the presidential palace in Garowe following the expiration of the mandate of Somalia’s federal government, where U.S. representatives sought to strengthen economic opportunities in Puntland’s oil exploration, fisheries, and mineral development sectors. (Garowe Online) (Horseed Media) (FTL Somalia)

Law and crime

• 2026 Cuban crisis, Cuba–United States relations
  • The U.S. Department of Justice announces that a grand jury in Miami, Florida, has indicted former first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Raúl Castro and five others on murder charges in connection with the 1996 shootdown of an aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue. (AFP via RFI) (AP) (Reuters)
• Aftermath of the January 6 United States Capitol attack
  • Two U.S. Capitol Police officers who helped defend the Capitol building in Washington, D.C. during the January 6, 2021 riot file a lawsuit to block January 6 rioters from receiving payouts from a new $1.8 billion settlement fund. (AP) (Reuters)
• Chinese intelligence activity abroad, China–Germany relations
  • The German public prosecutor general arrests a Chinese couple in Munich who are accused of spying for a Chinese intelligence agency. (Bloomberg) (DW)
• International Criminal Court investigation in the Philippines
  • The Philippine supreme court rejects an injunction sought by senator Ronald dela Rosa against his arrest on an International Criminal Court warrant for crimes against humanity related to the Philippine drug war. (Al Jazeera)
• Mexican Drug War
  • Atlatlahucan mayor Agustín Toledano Amaro and former Yecapixtla mayor Irving Sánchez Zavala are arrested in Morelos, Mexico, during "Operación Enjambre", a crackdown on officials tied to organized crime. A manhunt is underway for Cuautla mayor Jesús Corona Damián. (El Financiero)

Politics and elections

• 2026 Bolivian protests
  • Bolivian president Rodrigo Paz announces plans to reshuffle Bolivia's cabinet and create an economic and social council following weeks of anti-government protests linked to the country’s economic crisis. (AFP via France 24) (Al Jazeera)
• The Hungary government proposes a constitutional amendment that would limit prime ministers to 8 years in office. (The Guardian)

Sports

• 2025–26 UEFA Europa League
  • 2026 UEFA Europa League final
    • In association football, Aston Villa defeat SC Freiburg 3–0 at Beşiktaş Stadium, Istanbul, to win their first UEFA Europa League title, and second European title after the 1982 European Cup final. Emiliano Buendía, who scored Villa's second goal, is named player of the match. (Sky News)
• 2026 FIFA World Cup
  • The DR Congo football team cancels a 3-day FIFA World Cup training camp and a fan farewell in Kinshasa over ebola concerns in the country. (AP)
• 2026 Walter Cup playoffs
  • In ice hockey, the Montreal Victoire defeat the Ottawa Charge 3–1 to win their first-ever PWHL Walter Cup. (The Athletic via The New York Times)

May 19, 2026 (2026-05-19) (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Middle Eastern crisis
  • 2026 Iran war
    • 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
      • 2026 Iran war ceasefire
        • Iran confirms that it has sent a proposal to the United States for ceasefire talks including a withdrawal of American troops from areas close to Iran, an end to all conflicts in the region, and compensation for damages caused by the war. (VOV)
        • United States vice president JD Vance says that progress has been made in talks with Iran regarding its nuclear program. However, he also stated that the U.S. is ready to resume strikes if talks fail. (Israel National News)
    • Regime change efforts in the 2026 Iran war
      • The New York Times reports that the early goal of Israel and the U.S. following the assassination of former supreme leader Ali Khamenei was to install former Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who reportedly survived a strike on his home himself, despite making inflammatory comments about Israel. (Jerusalem Post) (AA)
  • Gaza war
    • Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip
      • The Israeli Navy intercepts a flotilla boat taking part in the Global Sumud Flotilla that was to be headed for the Gaza Strip in a effort to break the blockade. (The Jerusalem Post)
  • Syrian conflict
    • A Syrian soldier is killed and at least twelve others are injured in a car bomb explosion in Damascus. (The New Region)
  • 2026 Lebanon war
    • Israeli airstrikes kill 19 people and injure 34 in the Nabatieh District and the Tyre District, Lebanon. (Al Jazeera) (Al Jazeera)
  • Israel seizes control of approximately 1,000 km² (390 sq mi) of territory across the Gaza Strip, Lebanon, and Syria, an area equivalent to roughly 5% of the country's landmass. (Financial Times)
• Russo-Ukrainian war
  • Violations of non-combatant airspace during the Russo-Ukrainian war
    • Estonia reports that a Romanian NATO F-16 fighter jet shot down a drone, suspected to be of Ukrainian origin impacted by Russian electronic warfare mechanisms, over Estonian territory. (BBC News)
• Sudanese civil war
  • Kordofan campaign
    • The Sudanese Emergency Lawyers reports that 28 people have been killed in a drone strike on a market in West Kordofan, Sudan. (Toronto Star)
• Boko Haram insurgency
  • The U.S. African Command says that U.S. and Nigerian forces have launched airstrikes on a ISIS camp in Nigeria. (Peoples Gazette)

Arts and culture

• In literature, Taiwan Travelogue by Yang Shuang-zi and translated by Lin King wins the 2026 International Booker Prize. (BBC News)

Disasters and accidents

• 2026 California wildfires
  • At least 10,000 homes are evacuated amid spreading wildfires in Santa Rosa Island and Simi Valley, California, United States. (BBC News)
• Ten people are killed in torrential rain and flooding in Guizhou, Hubei, and Hunan provinces, China. (Reuters)
• The death toll from a pickup truck crash in Huanjiang Maonan Autonomous County, Guangxi, China, rises to ten after the bodies of nine missing people were recovered. (Reuters)
• At least 27 people are injured in a M_w 6.1 earthquake off the coast of Ica Department, Peru. (DW in Spanish)

Health and environment

• 2026 Ebola epidemic
  • The death toll in the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo rises to 131. (Reuters)
  • Sudan begins implementing Ebola measures, including screening passengers at the international airport in Port Sudan. (Sudan Tribune)
• 2023–2026 mpox epidemic
  • Thailand reports two cases of mpox, prompting the Department of Disease Control to increase surveillance of the disease. (Nation Thailand)
  • Taiwan reports its first case of the transmissible mpox clade Ib variant in a man in his 20s in northern Taiwan. (Taiwan News)
• 2020–2026 H5N1 outbreak
  • Norway reports the first recorded case of avian influenza in a polar bear in Europe after the H5N5 virus was detected in the animal in Svalbard. (AFP via GMA News Online)

International relations

• Israel–Somaliland relations
  • Somaliland announces that the country will open an embassy in Jerusalem to strengthen its ties with Israel, for now the only country to recognize Somaliland as an independent nation. Israel announces that it will reciprocrate by opening an embassy in Hargeisa. (Reuters)
• The cabinet of Thailand approves plans to reduce the length of visa-free stays for travelers from more than 90 countries as part of measures targeting crimes involving foreign nationals. (AFP via ABS-CBN News)

Law and crime

• Corruption in Spain
  • Former Spanish prime minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is charged with money laundering and membership of a criminal organisation in connection with an investigation into the alleged laundering of the €53 million public bailout that incumbent prime minister Pedro Sánchez's second government provided to the airline Plus Ultra and La Liga Airlines in 2021. (Politico)
• Catalonian police arrest Jonathan Andic, the son of Mango founder Isak Andic, as part of an investigation into Isak's death during a hiking trip to Collbató in 2024. (AFP via Cebu Daily News)
• Vietnamese police arrest five Chinese nationals and a local accused of operating a gold smuggling network in Hanoi that allegedly traded more than US$45 million worth of gold. (AFP via New Straits Times)
• Three people, including two Japanese nationals and a Chinese national, are injured in a stabbing attack at a restaurant in Shanghai, China. (AP)

Politics and elections

• Constitutional crisis in Somalia, 2026 Somali presidential election
  • Controversies of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
    • Opposition coalition Somali Future Council says Somali president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud can no longer perform key presidential functions, including military oversight or dismissing government officials. They propose that parliamentary speaker Aden Madobe serve as acting president until elections scheduled for 30 June. The president has lost full executive authority following the expiry of his mandate on 15 May. (Idil News)
• 2026 Bolivian protests
  • Several banks close in La Paz as protests intensify across Bolivia, with demonstrators demanding the resignation of president Rodrigo Paz. (Reuters)
• Reactions to the 2026 Iran war
  • The War Powers Resolution, requiring a halt to hostilities in Iran not approved by the United States Congress, passes a preliminary vote in the U.S. Senate by 50–47 following several failed attempts, after the defection of Louisiana Republican senator Bill Cassidy. (CNBC)

Sports

• 2025–26 in English football
  • 2025–26 Premier League
    • In association football, Arsenal win the Premier League, their fourth Premier League title and 14th English title, with one match to spare, after runner-ups Manchester City fail to win against AFC Bournemouth at Dean Court. (London Evening Standard)
  • Southampton F.C. spying incident
    • The English Football League's Independent Disciplinary Commission expels Southampton from the 2026 EFL play-offs after finding the club guilty of spying on a Middlesbrough training session ahead of their semi-final match on 12 May, 2026, which Southampton won. Southampton are also found guilty of spying on Oxford United and Ipswich Town earlier this season, and will be deducted four points for the following season. (Sky Sports)
• 2026 FIFA World Cup
  • World Cup co-host United States allows the DR Congo football team to participate in the upcoming games in the country despite ebola concerns. (Al Jazeera)

May 18, 2026 (2026-05-18) (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Middle Eastern crisis
  • 2026 Iran war
    • 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
      • 2026 Iran war ceasefire
        • Pakistan reportedly shares a revised proposal with the United States from Iran aimed at ending the war. (Reuters)
        • Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei says that talks between Iran and the U.S. are still ongoing via Pakistani mediation. (AA)
    • 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
      • Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority announces that any passage through the Strait of Hormuz that is not coordinated with it and the Iranian armed forces is "illegal". (Al Jazeera)
    • U.S. president Donald Trump announces that he has called off planned military strikes against Iran for tomorrow at the request of Middle East allies including Qatari emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Emirati president Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, citing "serious negotiations" taking place. (PBS) (Middle East Eye)
  • 2026 Lebanon war
    • Hezbollah–Israel conflict
      • Hezbollah states that it shot down an Israeli military aircraft over Ayta al-Jabal in southern Lebanon. (Al Jazeera)
    • The Lebanese health ministry announces that the death toll has surpassed 3,000 people, with at least 3,020 people killed and 9,273 wounded since the war began on March 2. (Al Jazeera)
• Sudanese civil war
  • Kordofan campaign
    • Sudanese Armed Forces breaks the siege in Dilling, South Kordofan, for a third time. (Sudan Tribune)
  • War crimes during the Sudanese civil war
    • It is reported that Rapid Support Forces has released commander Abu Lulu after previously being arrested last year after videos were seen of him executing and massacring civilians in El Fasher, Sudan. He is back in combat following his release. (Reuters)

Business and economy

• Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
  • 2026 Iran war fuel crisis
    • Oil prices rise amid fears of a prolonged war and the draining of world oil reserves, including West Texas Intermediate to US$102.76 per barrel and Brent Crude to US$112.89 per barrel. (The Wall Street Journal)
• Australia–China relations
  • Australian treasurer Jim Chalmers orders several China-linked shareholders to divest their stakes in Northern Minerals under foreign investment laws aimed at protecting the country's rare earths sector. (AFP via HKFP)

Disasters and accidents

• At least 13 people are killed and more than 20 others are injured, most seriously, when a tempo carrying wedding guests collides with a container truck on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway in Palghar district, Maharashtra, India. (CNN-News18)
• Five students drown while swimming in the Lô River in Phú Thọ province, Vietnam. (Xinhua)
• Three people are killed and four others are missing after flash floods caused a river to overflow in Xuan'en County, Hubei Province, China. (Xinhua)

Health and environment

• 2026 Ebola epidemic
  • The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announces that it is suspending entry into the United States for 30 days to travelers without a U.S. passport that have been to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, or Uganda amidst the ongoing Ebola outbreak in these countries. (Politico)
• MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak
  • MV Hondius, the cruise ship at center of the hantavirus outbreak, arrives at the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands for disinfection after passengers disembarked the ship. (Reuters) (Travel and Tour World)

International relations

• 2026 Cuban crisis, Cuba–United States relations
  • The U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control imposes sanctions on Cuba's intelligence agency and several senior Communist Party and military officials as part of expanded pressure on the government amid the country's energy and financial crisis. (AFP via Arab News)
• Pakistan–Saudi Arabia relations
  • Pakistan deploys 8,000 troops, HQ-9 air defense systems, and a full air force squadron, mostly of JF-17 fighter jets, to assist Saudi Arabia under their mutual defense agreement. (Reuters)

Law and crime

• 2026 Bolivian protests
  • Prosecutors in Bolivia issue an arrest warrant for Mario Argollo, general secretary of the Bolivian Workers' Center, on charges including terrorism and incitement amid protests and road blockades in La Paz. (AFP via Indo Premier)
• 2026 Islamic Center of San Diego shooting
  • Three people are killed in a drive-by shooting outside a mosque in San Diego, California, United States. Both of the perpetrators die by suicide. (AFP via France 24) (BNO News)
• 2026 Mersin shooting
  • Six people are killed and eight others are injured in a shooting spree, including one inside a restaurant, in Mersin, Mediterranean Region, Turkey. A widespread manhunt is underway to catch the suspect. (Mersin Haber in Turkish) (CBS News)
• Protests against the 2026 Iran war, Economy of Kenya
  • Four people are killed and more than 30 others are injured in nationwide protests and transport strikes triggered by a massive surge in fuel prices due to the Iran war, which has raised petroleum costs by more than 20% to record highs in Nairobi, Kenya. (BBC News) (Reuters)
• Abnub shooting
  • Eight people are killed and five others are injured in a mass shooting at a crowded transportation hub in Abnub, Asyut Governorate, Egypt. The perpetrator is killed by security forces. (AFP via Al Arabiya)
• Two people are killed and four others are seriously injured in a mass shooting at a home in El Ejido, Andalusia, Spain. The perpetrator is arrested. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

• Second impeachment of Sara Duterte
  • The Philippine senate resumes the impeachment process against Vice President Sara Duterte following last week's lockdown. (Reuters)
• The Belarusian defence ministry announces that its military has began joint training exercises with Russia on nuclear weapons combat. (Al Jazeera)

May 17, 2026 (2026-05-17) (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Middle Eastern crisis
  • 2026 Iran war
    • United Arab Emirates in the 2026 Iran war
      • The United Arab Emirates reports a drone strike has targeted the Barakah nuclear power plant in the Al Dhafra region, causing a fire. No injuries or radiation have been reported. (ABC News) (Reuters)
      • The UAE Defense Ministry says that the country has intercepted three drones, including the one that targeted the Barakah nuclear power plant in Al Dhafra, Abu Dhabi. (Gulf News)
    • 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
      • The United States reportedly issues 5 conditions for a deal with Iran, including allowing only one nuclear facility in Iran to be operational. (Middle East Monitor)
    • 2026 Iranian strikes on Saudi Arabia
      • Saudi Arabia intercepts three drones launched from Iraq. (Al Jazeera)
  • 2026 Lebanon war
    • Israeli airstrikes kill at least eight people across Jwaya, Tayr Debba, and Tayr Felsay in Lebanon. (Al Jazeera) (Al Jazeera)
    • An Israeli missile strike on an apartment near Baalbek kills a commander of Palestinian Islamic Jihad and his daughter. (AFP via Arab News)
  • Gaza war
    • Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip kill five people, including three community kitchen workers, in Khan Yunis and Deir al-Balah. (Reuters)
• Mali War
  • 2026 Mali offensives
    • Drone strikes by the Malian military in Tene, San Cercle, Mali, kill at least 10 civilians who were preparing for a wedding. (AFP via Channels TV)
• Russo-Ukrainian war
  • Attacks in Russia during the Russo-Ukrainian war
    • Ukrainian forces launch a massive drone attack on Russia, ​killing at least four people, with strikes reported in Moscow and Belgorod Oblast, after ‌facing its largest attack in more than a year. (Reuters)
• Boko Haram insurgency
  • The U.S. African Command and the Nigerian Armed Forces carries out airstrikes targeting Islamic State positions in northeastern Nigeria. (Al Jazeera)
• Nigerian bandit conflict
  • Ten people are killed, including children and a pregnant woman, in an attack by bandits on a rural community in Katsina State, Nigeria. (Reuters)
• Mexican drug war
  • At least thirteen gunmen are arrested after an encounter resulting from an operation carried out by military forces in the municipality of Escuinapa, Sinaloa. (La Jornada)

Disasters and accidents

• Eight people are killed and 15 others injured after a bus overturned on an intercity road near Siraf, Bushehr Province, Iran. (Xinhua)
• One person is killed, five others are rescued and nine are reported missing when a pickup truck falls off a bridge in Huanjiang Maonan Autonomous County, Guangxi, China. (CTV News)
• Two people are killed, four others are injured, another is reported missing and 13 buildings collapse after a M_ww 5.0-5.2 earthquake strikes near Liuzhou, Guangxi, China. (Reuters) (BNO News)
• A collision involving two EA-18G Growler jets of the US Navy's Electronic Attack Squadron 129 occurs at an air show at the Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. All four pilots escaped and ejected safely. (NPR) (The Aviationist)

Health and environment

• 2026 Ituri Province Ebola epidemic
  • The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control activates its emergency preparedness systems after the World Health Organization designated the ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda a public health emergency. (Business Day)
  • Nigeria confirms no cases of ebola despite the outbreak. (The Guardian Nigeria)
• 2026 Bangladesh measles outbreak
  • Around six people in Bangladesh are reported to have died from measles in the past 24 hours. Additionally, around 1,517 cases of measles have been reported. (Bangladesh Pratidin)
• MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak
  • A national lab in Winnipeg, Manitoba confirms that a Canadian passenger on MV Hondius who is isolating in British Columbia has tested positive for hantavirus. (CBC)

Law and crime

• Ten people are killed, including three children, in a mass shooting at a ranch in the municipality of Tehuitzingo, Puebla, Mexico. Authorities blames the massacre on a family dispute. (Reuters) (La Jornada)
• Four people are injured after multiple gunmen carried out shootings at ten different locations over the weekend across Austin, Texas, United States. Two suspects are taken into custody while another remains at large. (CBS News)

Politics and elections

• 2026 Cape Verdean parliamentary election
  • Cape Verdeans vote to elect 72 members of the National Assembly. The ruling Movement for Democracy, led by prime minister Ulisses Correia e Silva, seeks a third consecutive term in government. (AFP via Indo Premier)
  • The African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV), led by Francisco Carvalho, wins the most seats at the National Assembly. (DW)
• 2026 Andalusian regional election
  • In Spain, the ruling People's Party of Andalusia loses its absolute majority in the Andalusian parliament, whilst the PSOE-A posts its worst result ever. The far-right Vox and the left-wing Adelante Andalucía are the only parties to gain votes and seats. (El Mundo)

Sports

• Nepalese Sherpa mountaineer Kami Rita reaches the summit of Mount Everest for a record-extending 32nd time, while Lhakpa Sherpa extends the women's record with her 11th successful ascent. (AFP via New Straits Times)
• 2026 PGA Championship
  • In golf, Aaron Rai wins his first major title at the PGA Championship. (Golf Channel)

Time: 18:57 UTC|Day: 23 May

May 2026

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
					1	2
3	4	5	6	7	8	9
10	11	12	13	14	15	16
17	18	19	20	21	22	23
24	25	26	27	28	29	30
31

Ongoing events

Disasters and humanitarian

• Cuban crisis and blackouts
• Gaza genocide
• Iranian internet blackout
• Tuapse oil terminal disaster

Economics

• Global memory supply shortage
• Strait of Hormuz crisis

• Iran war fuel crisis

• United States tariff policy
• Video game industry layoffs

Politics and diplomacy

• China–Japan diplomatic crisis
• Gaza peace plan
• Greenland crisis
• Iran–United States peace negotiations
• Israel–Lebanon peace negotiations
• Russia–Ukraine peace negotiations
• United Kingdom government crisis

Protests and strikes

• Georgian protests and political crisis
• Iranian diaspora protests

Elections and referendums

Recent

• May

• 12: Bahamas, House of Assembly
• 17: Cape Verde, National Assembly

Upcoming

• 24: Cyprus, House of Representatives
• 30: Malta, House of Representatives
• 31: Colombia, President
• 31: Guinea, National Assembly

• June

• 01: Ethiopia, House of Peoples' Representatives
• 07: Armenia, National Assembly
• 07: Jersey, States Assembly
• 07: Kosovo, Assembly
• 07: Peru, President (2nd round)

Sports

• Association football

• 2025–26 UEFA Champions League
• 2025–26 UEFA Europa League
• 2025–26 UEFA Conference League
• 2025–26 UEFA Women's Champions League
• 2025–26 Premier League
• 2025–26 La Liga
• 2025–26 Serie A
• 2025–26 Bundesliga
• 2025–26 Ligue 1
• 2026 Copa Libertadores
• 2026 Major League Soccer season
• 2026 National Women's Soccer League season
• 2025–26 Women's Super League

• Australian rules football

• 2026 AFL season

• Baseball

• 2026 Major League Baseball season
• 2026 Nippon Professional Baseball season
• 2026 NCAA Division I baseball season

• Basketball

• 2025–26 EuroLeague
• 2026 NBA playoffs

• International cricket

• 2025–27 ICC World Test Championship

• Cycling

• 2026 UCI World Tour

• Golf

• 2026 PGA Tour
• 2026 European Tour
• 2026 LPGA Tour

• Ice hockey

• 2026 IIHF World Championship
• 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs

• Motorsport

• 2026 Formula One World Championship
• 2026 NASCAR Cup Series
• 2026 MotoGP World Championship
• 2026 IndyCar Series

• Rugby league

• 2026 NRL season
• 2026 Super League season

• Rugby union

• 2025–26 Premiership Rugby
• 2025–26 United Rugby Championship
• 2026 Super Rugby Pacific

• Tennis

• 2026 ATP Tour
• 2026 WTA Tour

More details – current sports events

Recent deaths

May0/0April

• 21: Kyle Busch
• 20: Barney Frank
• 19: Peter Hollingworth
• 18: Tom Kane
• 17: Scott Hastings
• 16: Dennis Locorriere
• 16: James Robison
• 15: Izz al-Din al-Haddad
• 15: Felicity Lott
• 14: Claudine Longet
• 14: Alan Rothwell
• 13: Clarence Carter
• 12: Mark Fuhrman
• 12: Jason Collins
• 12: Donald Gibb
• 12: Rex Reed
• 11: Brandon Clarke
• 10: David Burke
• 10: Abraham Foxman
• 09: Bobby Cox
• 09: Craig Morton
• 08: Betty Broderick
• 08: Festus Mogae
• 07: Philip Caputo
• 07: Joni Lamb
• 07: Michael Pennington
• 06: Ted Turner
• 05: José Ortiz
• 05: Lee Hong-koo
• 04: John Sterling
• 02: Doris F. Fisher
• 02: Shirley Porter
• 01: Alex Zanardi
• 30: Georg Baselitz
• 29: David Allan Coe
• 29: J. Craig Venter
• 28: Ange Édouard Poungui
• 27: Edith Eger
• 26: Gerry Conway
• 26: Raghu Rai
• 26: Nedra Talley
• 25: Sadio Camara
• 25: Jaan Puhvel
• 23: Josh Mauro
• 22: Eugene Braunwald
• 22: David Malouf
• 22: David Scott
• 22: Michael Tilson Thomas

Ongoing conflicts

Global

• War against the Islamic State

Africa

• Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda

• M23 campaign

• Cameroon

• Anglophone Crisis

• Central African Republic

• Civil war

• Sahel

• Burkina Faso
• Chad Basin

• Mali
• Niger

• Somalia

• Civil war

• Sudan

• Darfur campaign

• Kordofan campaign

Americas

• Colombia

• Domestic conflict

• Haiti

• Gang war

• War on cartels
  • United States military intervention

• Ecuador

• Mexico

Asia−Pacific

• Afghanistan and Pakistan

• Border war

• Myanmar

• Civil war

Europe

• Russia and Ukraine

• Russo-Ukrainian war

Middle East

• Middle Eastern crisis

• Israel–Palestine
• Gaza war
• Syrian conflict

• Iran war
• Lebanon war

• Yemen

• Civil war

See also – List of ongoing proxy wars

2026 events and developments by topic

Arts

• Animation (Anime)
• Architecture
• Comics
• Film (Horror, Science fiction)
• Literature (Poetry)
• Music (Classical, Country, Hip hop, Jazz, Latin, Metal, Rock, UK, US, Korea)
• Radio
• Television (Australia, Canada, Ireland, UK, Scotland, US)
• Video games

Politics and government

• Elections
• International leaders
• Sovereign states
• Sovereign state leaders
• Territorial governors

Science and technology

• Archaeology
• Biotechnology
• Computing
• Palaeontology
• Quantum computing and communication
• Senescence research
• Space/Astronomy
• Spaceflight
• Sustainable energy research

Environment and environmental sciences

• Climate change
• Weather (Heat waves
• Tornadoes
• Wildfires)

Transportation

• Aviation
• Rail transport
• Transportation technology

Establishments and disestablishments categories

• Establishments
• Disestablishments

Works and introductions categories

• Works
• Introductions
• Works entering the public domain

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