Wednesday 27 May 2026

South Africa–United States relations

The South African foreign ministry denies United States president Donald Trump's assertions that Afrikaners face a humanitarian emergency in South Africa. The statement comes as the U.S. increased the number of permits for Afrikaner refugees.

2026 Ebola epidemic

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warns that the war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) could worsen the outbreak in the country.

2026 Ebola epidemic

Uganda temporarily closes its border with the DRC and imposes quarantine and health screening measures following the spread of Ebola cases in central Africa linked to the outbreak in the DRC.

Health

The American Cancer Society adds the FDA-approved Guardant Health Shield blood test to its recommended colorectal cancer screening options in the United States amidst a rise in colon cancer cases in young adults.

Disasters

Three Latvian climbers are killed and another is critically injured after a fall on Denali in Alaska, U.S., while rescue and recovery operations continue.

Iran–South Korea relations

South Korea summons Iranian ambassador Saeed Koozechi after the government concludes that it was likely that Iranian-made anti-ship missiles struck the Panama-flagged cargo vessel HMM Namu near the Strait of Hormuz earlier this month.

Scam centers in Cambodia

A Cambodian court sentences six Chinese nationals to life imprisonment for kidnapping, torturing, and murdering a South Korean student linked to a transnational fraud network operating in Cambodia.

2024–present global memory supply shortage

Trade union members at Samsung Electronics in South Korea approve a long-term bonus agreement tied to semiconductor profits, averting a planned strike amid increased global demand for artificial intelligence-related memory chips.

Disasters

Rescuers locate five of seven villagers alive after they become trapped for a week in a flooded cave in Xaisomboun province, Laos, while search operations continue for the remaining two people.

Corruption in Spain

Following an order from the National Court of Spain, the ruling PSOE party's headquarters are raided by the Civil Guard. The party’s manager, two former senior officials, and a businessman are charged as part of an investigation into possible illegal funding of a possible operation to target the judicial police, judges, and prosecutors investigating corruption cases involving the party itself.

Trial of Jeffrey Donaldson

The trial of former Northern Irish MP Jeffrey Donaldson for sexual offences begins at the Newry Crown Court. Two women allege Donaldson abused them as children. His wife Eleanor is facing a separate trial of the facts because she has been found to be unfit to stand trial because of mental health issues.

May 2026 United States strikes on Iran

Reuters and Axios reports that the U.S. military has launched new defensive strikes against a military site at the Strait of Hormuz that officials say posed a threat to American forces and commercial traffic.

Canada and the 2026 Iran war

Global Affairs Canada confirms a report from Semafor that Canadian officials in the Middle East, including the United Arab Emirates, helped American citizens escape the region during the early stages of the war.

May 2026 United States strikes on Iran

The U.S. military says that it intercepted four Iranian drones and struck an Iranian drone station in Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan province. However, the U.S says that the ceasefire remains in place despite the strikes.

Gaza war

Both Hamas and Israeli defense minister Israel Katz confirm that Al-Qassam Brigades commander and leader in the Gaza Strip Mohammed Odeh was killed by an Israeli airstrike on May 26 near Gaza City along with his wife and three children.

United States sanctions against Iran

The United States Office of Foreign Assets Control announces under Executive Order 13224 that it has imposed sanctions against Iran's Persian Gulf Strait Authority, the newly-created body used for managing the Strait of Hormuz.

Syrian chemical weapons program

The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons says that several chemical weapons from the Assad regime have been found in Syria over the past weeks.

2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis

Tasnim News Agency reports that the IRGC Navy has forced a U.S. oil tanker to turn back as it attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz.

MV Hondius hantavirus outbreak

The World Health Organization reports that the number of cases of hantavirus linked to MV Hondius has increased to 13.