Portal:Current events/2026 May 3

May 3, 2026 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2026 Iran war
- 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis
  - 2026 Strait of Hormuz campaign
    - United States president Donald Trump announces that the U.S. Navy will start guiding neutral ships through the Strait of Hormuz tomorrow. (Axios)
    - The U.S. Central Command confirms that the operation, Project Freedom, will start tomorrow to help secure transit in the strait. (AA) (CENTCOM)
  - A bulk freighter reports being attacked by multiple small craft outside the strait, off Bandar Sirik, Iran. (CBS News)
- 2025–2026 Iran–United States negotiations
  - 2026 Iran war ceasefire
    - Iranian ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri-Moghadam says that talks mediated by Pakistan remains firm. However, he also criticizes the United States for “unpredictable and aggressive behaviour” towards peace in the Middle East, and states that talks between Iran and the U.S. would resume if the latter changes its behavior. (The News International)
Colombian conflict
- Catatumbo campaign
  - Gunmen on a motorcycle open fire outside a commercial establishment in Cúcuta, North Santander, Colombia, killing four people. (TRT World)
Mali War
- 2026 Mali offensives
  - Mountaga Tall, an opposition figure and lawyer critical of the Malian military junta, is kidnapped in Bamako overnight. (Africanews) (AFP via RFI)
War against the Islamic State
- Islamic State insurgency in Puntland, Puntland counter-terrorism operations
  - Puntland regional officials say that they have recaptured the Miraale area following clashes with ISIS members. (Hiiraan Online)
Sudanese civil war (2023–present)
- Two drone strikes launched by the Rapid Support Forces significantly damage several facilities of the Kenana Sugar Company plant south of Rabak, White Nile State, Sudan. (Sudan Tribune)

Arts and culture

Mass media in Afghanistan
- On World Press Freedom Day, Afghan journalists launch the Kabul Times News media outlet in exile in France amidst media restrictions in Afghanistan. (Khaama Press) (Kabul Times News)

Business and economy

Economic impact of the 2026 Iran war
- 2026 Iran war fuel crisis
  - JPMorgan Chase analysts estimate that oil inventories in OECD countries will begin running out between May 9 and May 30. (Fortune)
The Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade will restrict supplies of popular computers starting 27 May 2026. (Reporter)

Disasters and accidents

At least three people are killed and 38 others are injured when a monster truck crashes into a crowd at an exhibition event in Popayán, Cauca Department, Colombia. (BBC News) (Reuters)
The United States Africa Command reports that two American soldiers have been reported missing while on a hike near Tan-Tan, Morocco, after taking part in the annual African Lion military exercises. (AP)
Eight people are killed after a speeding car plows into a group of bystanders who had gathered to assist two people injured in a motorcycle collision earlier in Ambedkar Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India. (The Tribune)

Health and environment

MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak
- Three people are killed in a hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius off the coast of West Africa. (Sky News)

Law and crime

Mass shootings in the United States
- Eighteen people are wounded in a mass shooting at Arcadia Lake, Oklahoma. (CBS News) (Reuters)
Trafficking of Chinese nationals to scam centers abroad
- Sri Lankan police arrest 37 Chinese nationals in Colombo suspected of operating an online fraud center and seize electronic devices and SIM cards during the operation. (AFP via The Manila Times)
Five Ethiopian migrants were killed last week in a series of xenophobic attacks in Johannesburg, South Africa, three of whom were shot dead inside a McDonald's restaurant. (Borkena) (News 24)

Politics and elections

A French leftist polician Jean-Luc Mélenchon to stand in 2027 French presidential election. (France24)