Armed conflicts and attacks
Middle Eastern crisis
Antisemitism during the 2026 Iran war
2026 London antisemitic attacks
Two Jewish men are injured in a stabbing attack in Golders Green, London, England, which police describe as a terrorist attack. A 45-year-old man is arrested, and a political motive is being investigated. (The Guardian)
The Islamist group Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia takes responsibility for the attack. (i24NEWS TV)
2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
United States president Donald Trump says that he rejected an Iranian offer to end the Strait of Hormuz closure in exchange for lifting the naval blockade of Iran, and that the blockade will continue until an agreement is reached on Iran's nuclear program. (Axios)
Anadolu Agency reports that Pakistan is working silently to break the ongoing deadlock between the Iran and the United States in ceasefire talks, including finding a new "formula" for an agreement on the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran's nuclear program. (Pakistan Today)
Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi confirms that the Japan-flagged crude oil tanker Idemitsu Maru has successfully crossed the Strait of Hormuz, making it the first direct passage of a Japanese oil tanker to cross the waterway since the war began on February 28. (AFP via AA) (The Chosun Ilbo) (Newsweek)
2026 United States military buildup in the Middle East
The Washington Post reports that the USS Gerald R. Ford will exit the Middle East and return to the U.S. state of Virginia in the coming days around mid-May after spending 10 months at sea. (The Washington Post) (The Times of Israel) (WTKR)
A Lebanese soldier and his brother are killed in an Israeli airstrike in Bint Jbeil. (Reuters)
Russo-Ukrainian war
Attacks in Russia during the Russo-Ukrainian war
Three people are killed and eight others are injured in a Ukrainian drone strike on a passenger bus in Voznesenovka, Belgorod Oblast, Russia. (AFP via Al-Arabiya)
A Ukrainian SBU drone strikes an oil refinery near Perm, Perm Krai, Russia, causing a large fire at the facility. (AP)
Peace negotiations in the Russo-Ukrainian war
During a phone call with U.S. president Donald Trump, Russian president Vladimir Putin offers a ceasefire for Victory Day on May 9. (The Moscow Times) (Kyiv Independent)
Insurgency in Sistan and Balochistan
Three police officers are killed and another is injured in a mass shooting when gunmen open fire on a police patrol in Zahedan, Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iran. (Al Jazeera)
Business and economy
American technology company Alphabet Inc. announces a $40 billion investment into artificial intelligence (AI) company Anthropic. (Reuters)
Finnish elevator manufacturer Kone announces the acquisition of its German competitor, TK Elevator, in a €29.4 billion (US$34.4 billion) deal, described by Bloomberg L.P. as one of Europe's largest private equity-related takeovers and the largest corporate acquisition in Finland. (AFP via Barron's) (Bloomberg)