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:

• Félicien Kabuga
• Valie Export
• Barney Frank
• Scott Hastings
• Felicity Lott
• Mark Fuhrman

May 21, 2026 (2026-05-21) (Thursday)

Disasters and accidents

• Ten people are killed in a head-on collision between a minibus and a bus in Mpumalanga, South Africa. (Xinhua)
• At least four people are killed and six others are injured when a building collapses in Fez, Morocco. (Reuters)

Health and environment

• 2026 Ebola epidemic
  • The South Korean foreign ministry says that South Korea will raise its travel alert for Uganda and is planning to impose a level-4 travel ban for parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, especially the Ituri Province, due to the Ebola outbreak in both countries. (Yonhap)

Law and crime

• Capital punishment in the United States
  • Capital punishment in Alabama
    • Hamm v. Smith
      • The U.S. Supreme Court dimisses 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)
• 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)
• Residents burn a ebola treatment center in the Democratic Republic of the Congo amidst the ebola epidemic in the country. (Journal Gazette)

Politics and elections

• Constitutional crisis in Somalia, 2026 Somali presidential election
  • Controversies of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
    • Government of Puntland Council of Ministers meeting in Puntland's capital, Garowe, calls for direct cooperation with the international community, stating federal executive and legislative mandates under the provisional constitution have ended. The move comes as federal institutions enter a transitional phase with unclear mandates. (Garowe Online) (Horseed Media)

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 The Star)
      • 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 presidential place Garowe following expiration of the mandate of Somalia’s federal government, U.S. representatives strengthening 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)

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 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)

May 16, 2026 (2026-05-16) (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Middle Eastern crisis
  • 2026 Iran war
    • 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
      • 2026 Iran war ceasefire
        • Pakistani interior minister Mohsin Naqvi arrives in Tehran for a meeting with Iranian officials in a effort to continue talks between Iran and the United States to end the war. (Arab News PK)
    • 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
      • Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Azizi says that Iran will introduce new mechanisms to regulate maritime traffic through a designated route in the Strait of Hormuz and charge fees for ships entering the waterway. (AA)
    • 2026 United States military buildup in the Middle East
      • The USS Gerald R. Ford returns to the United States at the Naval Station in Norfolk, Virginia, following a 11-month deployment, the longest of the U.S. since its involvement in the Vietnam War, after taking part in the Iran war. (AP)
  • 2026 Lebanon war
    • Israeli airstrikes kill at least five people across southern Lebanon, including a paramedic in Tayr Felsay, Tyre District. (Al Jazeera)
  • Gaza war
    • The Israeli military confirms that Al-Qassam Brigades commander and Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip Izz al-Din al-Haddad, dubbed as one of the architects behind the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, was killed yesterday in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City. Hamas also confirms his killing, and that his wife and daughter were also killed in the airstrike. (Reuters) (The Times of Israel)
• Mali War
  • 2026 Mali offensives
    • Mali launches investigations into several soldiers and politicians, including Oumar Mariko, suspected of involvement in the April 25, 2026 coordinated attacks on Mali by Tuareg rebels and Al Qaeda-linked Jama'at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin. (DW)
• Killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki
  • The U.S. African Command confirms that the U.S. military has eliminated several members of ISIS during a joint mission with Nigerian forces in Nigeria, including second-in-command Abu-Bilal al-Minuki. (Stars and Stripes)
• Colombian conflict
  • In Colombia, Rogers Devia, the former mayor of Cubarral and ally of presidential candidate Abelardo de la Espriella, is shot and killed alongside one of his staffers in a rural area near the city. (AP)

Arts and culture

• Eurovision Song Contest 2026
  • Bulgaria wins the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Bangaranga" by Dara. (The New York Times)

Business and economy

• Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
  • 2026 Iran war fuel crisis
    • Comorian energy minister Aboubacar Saïd Anli announces the suspension of fuel price hikes following deadly protests. (Reuters)
  • Sri Lanka imposes a 50% surtax on vehicle imports to reduce pressure on foreign exchange reserves amid currency depreciation linked to the Iran war. (AFP via Gulf News)

Disasters and accidents

• 2026 Bangkok train collision
  • Eight people are killed and 25 others are injured after a train hits and sparks a fire on a bus in Bangkok, Thailand. (Reuters)
• Shark attacks in Australia
  • A 38-year-old man is killed in a shark attack at a reef near Rottnest Island, Western Australia. The shark is reported to have been a 13-foot (4.0 m) great white shark, according to the DPIRD. (BBC News)
• Five people are killed after a three-story building under construction collapsed in Abuja, Nigeria. (Xinhua)
• Two people are killed and another is injured when a North American T-28 Trojan reportedly explodes mid-air and crashes into a residential area in Limburgerhof, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. (AA) (Tagesschau in German)

Health and environment

• MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak
  • The Canadian public health agency reports that a Canadian on the MV Hondius has tested positive for the Andes strain of the hantavirus and was hospitalized along with their spouse. (NBC News)
  • The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment confirms that a person in Douglas County, Colorado, U.S., has died from hantavirus. However, officials say that the death is not related to the cruise ship outbreak. (KMGH-TV)
• 2026 Ituri Province Ebola epidemic
  • The World Health Organization declares the Ebola virus outbreak in Uganda and Ituri Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo, a public health emergency of international concern. (Reuters)
• Solomon Islands reinstates a ban on dolphin exports two days after its repeal, citing concerns over the country's fisheries standards and tuna export industry. (AFP via The Manila Times) (RNZ)
• The carcass of a humpback whale that washed ashore on the Danish island of Anholt is confirmed to be that of Timmy, a whale that was stranded off the coast of Germany for several weeks before later being released into the North Sea. The Ocean Museum Germany concludes that Timmy likely died shortly after being released from the barge due to exhaustion. (Welt)

Law and crime

• Protests against the 2026 Iran war
  • One person dies and five others are injured in clashes between protesters and security forces in Anjouan, Comoros, as demonstrations continue over rising fuel prices partially attributed to the Iran war. (Reuters)
• 2026 Modena car-ramming attack
  • Eight people are injured, including four seriously, in a vehicle-ramming and stabbing attack in Modena, Emilia-Romagna, Italy. The perpetrator is arrested. (Reuters)

Politics and elections

• Constitutional crisis in Somalia
  • Controversies of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
    • International representatives, excluding those from the United Kingdom and the United States, meet in Mogadishu and deem the administration of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud as the de facto Somali government. Operational Policy 7.30, a framework typically applied to countries that have lost statehood or where a government assumes power outside the country’s constitutional framework, will be utilized. (Idil News)
• 2026 Long Island Rail Road strike
  • Five unions representing over 3,500 workers for the Long Island Rail Road, the largest commuter rail system in North America, goes on strike to negotiate a new contract with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York City, United States. (AP)

Sports

• 2025–26 FA Cup
  • 2026 FA Cup final
    • In association football, Manchester City beat Chelsea 1–0 at London's Wembley Stadium, through a 72nd-minute goal from Antoine Semenyo, to win their 8th FA Cup title. (The Guardian)
• 2025–26 Ekstraklasa
  • In association football, Lech Poznań win their 2nd consecutive and 10th ever Ekstraklasa title with a league game to spare. (Piłka Nożna in Polish)

May 15, 2026 (2026-05-15) (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Middle Eastern crisis
  • 2026 Iran war
    • Antisemitism during the 2026 Iran war
      • Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood al-Saadi, a commander of the IRGC-aligned Shia Iraqi militia group Kata'ib Hezbollah, is arrested in Turkey by the U.S. justice department after allegedly planning attacks on Jewish sites in the United States, along with attacks in Europe as part of a broader campaign of retaliation by Iran over the war. (Haaretz) (The New York Times)
    • 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
      • U.S. president Donald Trump says that he is open to accepting Iran's 20-year suspension on their nuclear program if Iran gives a real guarantee. (The Times of Israel)
  • 2026 Lebanon war
    • 2026 Israel–Lebanon peace talks
      • The United States announces that Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend their ceasefire for 45 days, and that more specific political and security negotiations will begin on May 29 and June 2, respectively. (The Times of Israel) (PBS)
    • Israeli airstrikes kill at least seven people across Nabatieh, Tibnin, and Harouf, and injure 37 people in Tyre, Lebanon. (Sky News)
  • Gaza war
    • Hamas military leader Izz al-Din al-Haddad is assassinated alongside his wife and daughter in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City. (Reuters)
• Boko Haram insurgency
  • Killing of Abu-Bilal al-Minuki
    • U.S. president Donald Trump announces that U.S. and Nigerian forces have eliminated ISIS second-in-command Abu-Bilal al-Minuki during a joint mission. (Abuja Politico) (CBS News)
  • Seventeen police trainees and an unknown number of soldiers are killed in a mass shooting by Islamist militants at a specialised military school in Buni Yadi, Yobe State, Nigeria. (Reuters)
• Russo-Ukrainian war
  • Prisoners of war in the Russo-Ukrainian war
    • Russia and Ukraine swap 205 prisoners of war following a violated three-day ceasefire. (Euronews)
• Sudanese civil war
  • 2026 Blue Nile campaign
    • The Sudanese Army says that they have re-captured the Blue Nile town of Khor Hassan from Rapid Support Forces. (Al Jazeera)

Arts and culture

• Anti-fur movement
  • The Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, which organizes Milan Fashion Week in Italy, announces guidelines encouraging participating brands not to display fur products during fashion shows following pressure from animal rights groups. (AFP via RFI)
• The "Recently Played" feature on Audacy's website for Mix 104.1 suffers a multi-day shutdown. For four days, it is stuck at 2:02 p.m., when the last recorded song was "Dilemma" by Nelly. As of Tuesday, May 19, this page does not show a "Recently Played" list at all. Hopefully, this is just a temporary "transition period" that will be resolved after a few more days.

Disasters and accidents

• Drought in Somalia
  • All UN agencies warn that the Somalian hunger and malnutrition crisis is rapidly worsening, with a growing risk of famine. More than 6 million people, approximately 31% of the population, face critical levels of food insecurity, while nearly 1.9 million children are suffering from acute malnutrition. Of those children, approximately 493,000 are facing severe acute malnutrition. (AA) (Relief Web) (UN News)
• Famine in Sudan
  • The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification warns that 19.5 million people in Sudan are facing hunger amidst the three-year civil war. (Middle East Monitor)
• Six people are killed and 19 others injured in a collision between a passenger bus and a cargo truck in Hadramout, Yemen. (Xinhua)
• Six people are killed and 10 others were injured after a speeding tanker hit the vehicle they were traveling in from behind in Karnataka, India. (Xinhua)

Health and environment

• 2026 Ituri Province Ebola epidemic
  • 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 80 people. (AP) (Sky News)
  • The South Sudan Health Ministry issues an ebola alert in the country following cases in the DRC and Uganda. (Radio Tamazuj)

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)
• Foreign involvement in the Russo-Ukrainian war
  • Thirty-six countries and the European Union join the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. (Euronews)

Law and crime

• Mexican drug war
  • Two Mexican officials sought for extradition by the U.S. in April on charges of alleged collusion with organized crime are reportedly detained in Europe and the U.S. (Tribuna de México in Spanish)

Politics and elections

• Constitutional crisis in Somalia
  • Controversies of Hassan Sheikh Mohamud
    • A third day of talks mediated by the UK and US between the Somali federal government and the opposition Somali Future Council are collapsing over their legal future and the electoral process after Hassan Sheikh Mohamud broke his constitutional presidential term limit. His four-year constitutional term is formally expiring on 15 May, but it is ending with no plan for an upcoming election. (Garowe Online) (Horseed Media) (Addis Standard)
• Matthew Wale is appointed as the 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)

Time: 22:01 UTC|Day: 21 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

• Cuban crisis and blackouts
• DRC Ebola epidemic
• Gaza genocide
• Iranian internet blackout
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• Global memory supply shortage
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• May

• 07: Scotland, Parliament
• 07: Wales, Senedd
• 12: Bahamas, House of Assembly
• 17: Cape Verde, National Assembly

Upcoming

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

• June

• 01: Ethiopia, House of Peoples' Representatives

• Association football

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• Rugby union

• 2025–26 Premiership Rugby
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• Tennis

• 2026 ATP Tour
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More details – current sports events

• 20: Barney Frank
• 19: Peter Hollingworth
• 18: Tom Kane
• 17: Scott Hastings
• 16: Dennis Locorriere
• 16: James Robison
• 15: Izz al-Din al-Haddad
• 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
• 02: Ubaldo Biordi
• 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
• 20: Alan Osmond

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See also – List of ongoing proxy wars

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