From Broderick Turner:LeBron James sat with both feet in a bucket of ice and both knees wrapped in ice, his answers brief when the subject of the officiating came up after the Lakers lost Game 2 to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 125-107, Thursday night at Paycom Center.
James just looked straight ahead and kept his answers short even when he was told his coach, JJ Redick, voiced his displeasure with the officiating, especially when it was about the lack of calls for his 23-year veteran.
When asked about the officials, which became the main theme after the Lakers dropped a second consecutive game by 18 points in the best-of-seven semifinal series, James was diplomatic.
Go beyond the scoreboard
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“We’re down 2-0,” he said.
Indeed, the Lakers are down 2-0 in the that resumes with Game 3 on Saturday night in Los Angeles.
Still, James was asked about Redick saying his superstar gets some of the worst calls and why that is the case — at least in the eyes of Redick.
“I don’t know,” James said.
Again, James was asked about his conversation with the officials and if he’s satisfied with their answers.
“Nah,” James said.
James shot only four free throws in the game, and he made all four, finishing with 23 points. Austin Reaves responded from a bad Game 1 by scoring a playoff career-high 31 points on 10-for-16 shooting, making three if six three-pointers.
Even with an impressive Lakers defense that constantly doubled teamed Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to keep him to 22 points and in foul trouble most of the game, L.A. spent a lot of time after the game complaining about the officials.
Lakers forward LeBron James stands on the court as some fans hold up photo cut-outs of Oklahoma City Thunder players Thursday.
(Nate Billings / Associated Press)
From Bill Plaschke: They have long since proven themselves as an endlessly efforting Laker team that never believes they’re beaten.
They’re beaten.
With the sort of resounding resilience that had earlier carried them to playoff wins without their two leading scorers, these Lakers have shown they desperately do not want this season to be over.
It’s over.
The Oklahoma City Thunder overcame another valiant Lakers charge Thursday night to win their second game in two tries in the Western Conference semifinals at Paycom Center.
The Lakers played hard, played tough, played the Thunder from baseline to baseline, played strong enough to fly home with pride.
And still lost by 18.
The 125-107 Thunder victory gives the defending champions a two-games-to-none lead in a series that is scheduled for as many as seven games.
They created this monster. They sent it out into the world.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, top-seeded in the NBA playoffs for the third consecutive season, are running roughshod over opponents. Kicking everybody’s butts and driving everyone up the wall.
And, oh, Clippers what did you do?
This Oklahoma City juggernaut, built to last in an era that would otherwise be remembered for its parity?
It was spawned on July 6, 2019, when the Clippers traded Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Danilo Gallinari and a boatload of draft picks to the Thunder in exchange for Paul George, who they paired with free agent Kawhi Leonard, mortgaging their future on the failed bet that two Southern Californians would lead the franchise to its first NBA title.
A look at how Shohei Ohtani is working to snap his slump
Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani doubles during a win over the Astros in Houston on Wednesday.
(Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
From Maddie Lee: It was to almost the same spot as the much harder cutter Ohtani had just fouled off. But Ohtani, starting his swing on time for the fastball, recognized the sweeper early enough to stop this momentum, throw his hands to the ball, and hit a low line drive up the right-field line for a double.
That hit in the third inning of the Dodgers’ 12-2 blowout win Wednesday was his first in over a week. He’d gone 18 straight at-bats without a hit. Watching Ohtani grind through the slump, manager Dave Roberts even decided to give Ohtani the day off from hitting when he took the mound Tuesday.
Then on Wednesday — whether it was the result of that break, or on-field batting practice two days before, or a culmination of work, or some combination of the three — Ohtani logged two hits and a walk.
“Today was a good day for Shohei,” Roberts said.
So, what was going wrong, and how is Ohtani going about trying to make sure his good day becomes the start of an offensive turnaround?
Sparks guard Kelsey Plum left a WNBA champion in Las Vegas for a chance to build a title contender.
(Elsa Garrison / Getty Images)
From Marisa Ingemi: On a rare off day in Los Angeles, Sparks guard Kelsey Plum settles into a quieter rhythm. She brings a book to a dog park near her home, finds a spot, and reads. But even here, the stillness is partial at best. Her mind keeps working, circling the same question that has followed her through every stage of her career. What does greatness actually require?
Right now, Plum is reading “The Talent Code,” a book that digs into the tension between nature and nurture. It’s not exactly light reading for a day off, but then again, she isn’t really wired for off days.
“Talent,” she says, “takes countless hours of practice. Sure, you have some natural ability, but you have to train it. You look at like a Russian tennis player, why are they good? Is it random? The similarity with greatness is practice.”
That idea, practice as the great equalizer, shapes how Plum sees her career now, in a moment that demands more from her than ever before.
Second round All times Pacific at Oklahoma City 108, Lakers 90 (box score) at Oklahoma City 125, Lakers 107, (box score) Saturday at Lakers, 5:30 p.m., ABC Monday at Lakers, 7:30 p.m., Prime Video *Wednesday at Oklahoma City, TBD *Saturday, May 16 at Lakers, TBD *Monday, May 18 at Oklahoma City, TBD *- if necessary
Ducks playoffs schedule
Second round All times Pacific at Vegas 3, Ducks 1 (summary) Ducks 3, at Vegas 1 (summary) Friday at Ducks, 6:30 p.m., TNT, truTV, HBO MAX Sunday at Ducks, 6:30 p.m., ESPN *Tuesday at Vegas, TBD, ESPN *Thursday, May 14 at Ducks, TBD, TNT, truTV, HBO MAX *Saturday, May 16 at Vegas, TBA, ABC or ESPN *-if necessary
This day in sports history
1907 — Canadian Tommy Burns retains his world heavyweight boxing title after beating ‘Philadelphia’ Jack O’Brien on points in 20 rounds.
1915 — Regret, ridden by Joe Notter, becomes the first filly to win the Kentucky Derby, with a 2-length wire-to-wire victory over Pebbles.
1937 — War Admiral, the favorite ridden by Charles Kurtsinger, wins the Kentucky Derby by 1 3/4 lengths over Pompoon.
1943 — Count Fleet, ridden by Johnny Longden, wins the Preakness Stakes by 8 lengths over Blue Swords.
1954 — World record holder William Parry O’Brien becomes the first man to throw the shot put more than 60 feet with a 60-5¼ toss at a meet in Los Angeles.
1967 — Muhammad Ali is indicted for refusing induction in U.S. Army.
1968 — Jim “Catfish” Hunter of the Oakland A’s pitches a perfect game, beating the Minnesota Twins 4-0. It is the first perfect game in the American League regular season in 46 seasons.
1970 — Walt Frazier scores 36 points to lead the New York Knicks to a 113-99 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA championship in seven games.
1974 — FC Magdenburg of East Germany win 14th European Cup Winner’s Cup against AC Milan of Italy 2-0 in Rotterdam.
1984 — On the day the Olympic torch relay begins, the Soviet Union announces it will not take part in the 1984 Summer Olympics. The Soviet National Olympic Committee Union said the participation of Soviet athletes would be impossible because of “the gross flouting” of Olympic ideals by U.S. authorities.
1993 — Lennox Lewis of Britain scores a unanimous 12-round decision over Tony Tucker in his first defense of the WBC heavyweight title in Las Vegas.
1995 — New Zealand’s Black Magic 1 takes a 2-0 lead, defeating Young America by the widest margin for a challenger since the 1871 America’s Cup.
1996 — Paris Saint-Germain of France win 36th European Cup Winner’s Cup against Rapid Wien of Austria 1-0 in Brussels.
2001 — Randy Johnson becomes the third pitcher to strike out 20 in nine innings. He doesn’t finish the game as the Arizona Diamondbacks go on to beat Cincinnati 4-3 in 11 innings.
2003 — Minnesota becomes the first team in NHL history to rebound from two 3-1 series deficits to win in one postseason with a 4-2 victory at Vancouver.
2011 — University of Georgia senior Russell Henley becomes the second amateur winner in PGA Nationwide Tour history, shooting a 3-under 68 for a two-stroke victory in the Stadion Classic.
2011 — The Tradition Senior Men’s Golf, Shoal Creek G&CC: Tom Lehman wins second of 3 Champions Tour majors with par on 2nd playoff hole against Australian Peter Senior.
2012 — Josh Hamilton becomes the 16th player to hit four home runs in a game, launching a quartet of two-run drives against three different pitchers to carry the Texas Rangers to a 10-3 victory over the Baltimore Orioles.
2013 — Alex Ferguson announces his retirement as Manchester United’s manager at the end of the season.
2014 — The Houston Texans takes South Carolina defensive end Jadeveon Clowney with the first pick in the NFL draft. The draft’s other big name, Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel, sits until Cleveland makes its third trade of the round and grabs the 2012 Heisman Trophy winner at No. 22.
2018 — Seattle Mariners MLB left-hander James Paxton hurls a no-hitter in a 5-0 win over the Blue Jays in Toronto.
Compiled by the Associated Press.
Until next time…
That concludes today’s newsletter. If you have any feedback, ideas for improvement or things you’d like to see, email me at houston.mitchell@latimes.com. To get this newsletter in your inbox, click here.
Players’ union challenge French state’s failure to protect professional footballers from the health and safety risks.
Published On 8 May 20268 May 2026
Football players’ union FIFPRO is hailing a “landmark” legal win after a European rights body agreed to investigate whether the French state failed to uphold labour standards for professional footballers.
The unanimous decision by the European Committee of Social Rights in March marks the first time a players’ union has successfully advanced a collective complaint under the European Social Charter. It paves the way for an investigation into whether France has failed to ensure proper working conditions for professional players, including minors.
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FIFPRO described the heart of the dispute as the French state’s failure to protect professional footballers from the health and safety risks posed by a congested and expanding international match calendar, which it argues is driven by FIFA’s unilateral decisions on competition formats.
The inaugural edition of a rebranded and expanded FIFA Club World Cup came in for particular criticism from across the game when it was staged last year.
The French government had sought to have the case dismissed, arguing that any alleged labour violations were the responsibility of private sports bodies, such as FIFA or the French Football Federation, rather than the state.
The Committee rejected that objection, affirming that national governments remain legally responsible for ensuring fundamental workers’ rights are upheld within their jurisdictions, regardless of whether a private entity manages the industry.
FIFPRO Europe, which is supporting the French National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP) in the case, described the decision as a “signal case” for the industry.
It added that the complaint highlights how global governing bodies “frequently bypass national labour standards regarding rest periods and collective bargaining.”
FIFPRO Europe confirmed it would provide full support to the UNFP during the upcoming proceedings and called on other European states to hold football authorities accountable for “systemic failures” that it said prioritise commercial interests over player safety.
“France is not alone: many other states are in a comparable situation, with minimum standards for working time, rest periods, occupational health and collective bargaining structurally undermined by decisions taken at global level,” its statement said.
Khadeejat Mohammed was only two years old when Mokwa’s gully erosion claimed her life in the Eti-Sheshi community of Niger State, North Central Nigeria. Bright, playful, and already piecing sentences together, she had just been registered for creche. “She was very smart,” Isa Sheshi, her grandfather, told HumAngle. “Even at two, she played around and was able to put sentences together. I loved her so much.”
Khadeejat’s grandfather, Isa Shehsi, holds onto her only picture as he sits in front of his house in the Eti-Sheshi area of Mokwa. Photo: Isah Ismaila/HumAngle.
On the day she passed away, Khadeejat had asked her grandfather for money to buy tofu, locally called awara. The tofu seller was just across the same bridge that the family had carved from felled trees. The erosion had long cut through their community, forcing residents to improvise crossings.
“When the erosion began, we used wood to build a makeshift bridge,” Sheshi said. “But with time it got bigger, so we went to the bush to cut down 15 longer trees to create another bridge.”
That makeshift bridge became Khadeejat’s final path. On her way back, holding the tofu in a transparent plastic bag with her elder brother, who was three years older, she slipped into the gully.
“Her head went directly into a hollow hole filled with water in the gully,” Sheshi recounted, holding onto her picture. “She gulped that water before we could rush to the scene. When we brought her out and rushed her to the hospital, we were told she had a fractured skull.”
Isa Shehsi, Khadeejat’s grandfather, looks at the gully erosion site while narrating how the ordeal unfolded. Photo: Isah Ismaila/HumAngle.
She was rushed to the Mokwa General Hospital and later referred to the Federal Medical Centre, Bida. Unfortunately, Khadeejat died before the family could leave the motor park to travel to Bida.
“It’s been four years since the incident, but whenever I pass through that hole caused by gully erosion, my granddaughter’s thoughts always come to mind,” the man said.
Khadeejat’s death in 2022 was not just a family tragedy; it was a warning of what unchecked erosion has continued to do in Mokwa.
Isa Shehsi showing Khadeejat’s date of birth on a jotter where he documents all of his grandchildren’s D.O.B. Photo: Isah Ismaila/HumAngle.
Yet, years later, the gully remains, widening with each rainy season. Although figures of lives lost in these gullies are not publicly available, residents confirmed to HumAngle that a significant number of people have lost their loved ones in them, with some sustaining life-threatening injuries.
Despite the clear threats posed by the widening and deepening gullies, HumAngle’s investigation reveals that state and local authorities have failed to take effective action. The problem worsens with each rainy season, raising concerns among local communities. In 2024, the Niger State government secured World Bank ecological funds, specifically earmarked for erosion control projects. However, these resources have not translated into tangible solutions.
A segment of the gully that has already destroyed homes halfway and is still expanding. Photo: Isah Ismaila/HumAngle.
The Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, led by Mohammed Idris from the Mokwa Senatorial District, announced in December 2024 that the Niger State government had secured a $10 million intervention from the World Bank. This funding is aimed at addressing gully erosion in Mokwa, an area increasingly susceptible to environmental disasters.
During his visit to the affected communities in Mokwa, Umar Bago, the state governor, confirmed that the gully erosion had posed serious threats to the communities and that “competent contractors with track records have been identified to handle the project, which will commence soon.”
The state secured World Bank funding after years of neglect to address the root causes of erosion, particularly in communities such as Eti-Sheshi, Kpege, and Anguwan Hausa.
In May 2025, just five months after receiving funding from the World Bank, Mokwa was hit by a devastating flood that resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives. This tragedy raised serious questions about why the government had not started the project, especially since they had already identified “competent contractors” for the job.
Once competent contractors have been identified, the process of publishing the contract bid is governed by law. At the state level, this is regulated by procurement laws specific to each state, which are based on the federal Public Procurement Act of 2007. Section 18 (1b and d) of the Niger State Public Procurement Law of 2020 states that, subject to exemptions allowed by this law, all public procurement shall be conducted by open competitive bidding in a manner that is transparent, timely, and equitable, to ensure accountability and conformity with the law. Based on the above, a national invitation to bid shall be advertised on “the notice board of the procuring entity, any official website of the procuring entity, at least two national newspapers, and in the procurement journal,” according to section 27(2b) of the same law.
HumAngle did not find any instance of the state government publishing any contract bid for the $10 million World Bank ecological funds project in Mokwa regarding the gully erosion project. However, a contract bid was published in May 2025 by the state’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change under the Agro Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project, with the contract title: Construction of Storm Water Drainage Structures for Mokwa and Babban Rami Gully Erosion sites in Niger State.
They invited bidders for two contracts: construction of water-stormwater drainage structures for both Mokwa and Babban Rami, with bid security of ₦150 million and ₦200 million, respectively, for a 28-month construction period.
A gully erosion site in the Yafu area of Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State. Residents confirmed that it wasn’t this size two years ago. Photo: Isah Ismaila/HumAngle.
Further investigations by HumAngle revealed that the ACReSAL project (Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes) is a separate initiative from the World Bank Ecological Funds, which are commonly referred to as the Ecological and Natural Disasters Management Fund in Nigeria. Although both are World Bank projects, they serve different purposes.
While ACReSAL is a targeted World Bank loan facility for northern ecological resilience, the other is a national funding mechanism aimed at addressing nationwide disasters.
HumAngle confirmed, through field visits in February, that both the World Bank and the ACReSAL projects have not been executed. The bridge and culvert along the Mokwa-Jebba axis, damaged by last year’s deadly flood, are currently undergoing reconstruction.
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The Mokwa-Jebba bridge, destroyed by flooding last year, is currently under construction. Experts say this is more of a box culvert. Photo: Isah Ismaila/HumAngle.
When HumAngle visited the Eti‑Sheshi and Anguwan Hausawa areas in February, two of the three most devastating gully-erosion sites in Mokwa had deepened and widened, some plunging about 15 feet. Houses and even a mosque sat precariously on the edge, half‑collapsed into the earth.
A deep gully-erosion site extending below 10 feet sits behind Khadeejat’s house in Mokwa. Photo: Isah Ismaila/HumAngle.
Abbas Idris, the president of the Risk Managers Society of Nigeria (RIMSON), revealed that communities affected by gullies face the loss of arable land, damage to infrastructure, degradation of water quality, biodiversity loss, food insecurity, and displacement. More dangerously, erosion increases the risk of flooding, threatening lives and livelihoods.
“At the end of the day, this could give rise to conflict as a result of scarcity of land and resources, as people will be fighting over the land not affected by gully erosion,” he warned.
In March, after reviewing World Bank records for details on the Mokwa project, HumAngle submitted a request through the Bank’s information platform seeking clarification on the project and its operations.
The World Bank responded by asking us to provide “a direct link to, or full citation of, the specific document or public reporting you referenced in your request.” We explained that the inability to locate the specific document on its website—even after conducting a Boolean search—necessitated our request. We nonetheless provided links to public reports that referenced the funding.
On May 4, a month after its initial response, the World Bank sent what seemed to be a generic status update, stating that the request was still being processed.
“In most cases, we can respond within twenty (20) working days from receipt of a request for information. However, we may need additional time in special circumstances, for example, if the request is complex or voluminous or if it requires review…,” they wrote.
Erosion tears school walls apart
Aisha Mohammed Kolo, the proprietor of Gbastif Global Academy, which has been destroyed by gully erosion. Photo: Isah Ismaila/HumAngle.
Gully erosion in Mokwa is severely impacting the community by destroying homes and livelihoods and depriving children of the opportunity to attend school. Aisha Muhammad-Kolo, the founder of Gbastif Global Academy, the only affordable private school in the area, witnessed firsthand how erosion stripped the school bare.
“There is nobody in this house, and school is closed due to the impact of the gully erosion that has been affecting our community,” she told HumAngle. Each rainy season brought chaos. When the gullies filled with water, they burst into her compound, flooding classrooms and frightening parents.
Before now, here lies Gbastif Global Academy, but the gully erosion has reduced it to a barren land. Photo: Isah Ismaila/HumAngle.
“People were afraid that their children were at risk, so they started removing their children from the school, which affected us greatly but also deprived the students of schooling,” she said. “This is the only private school in our community, and most parents prefer to enrol their children here because it is not only affordable but we ensure quality education as compared to our government schools.”
The collapse of Gbastif Global Academy is emblematic of how erosion has altered schooling in many Mokwa communities. Teachers struggled to keep children safe during storms, sometimes moving them into private rooms until the rains subsided.
“Whenever it rained, and we were in session, I would have to take all the children inside my room to ensure they were safe. By the time the rain receded, it had washed off a significant part of our structures,” Aisha recounted.
Aisha’s kitchen was destroyed by the gully erosion during last year’s rainy season. Photo: Isah Ismaila/HumAngle.
Although the school was later relocated to a safer site, the arrangement is temporary, and parents are concerned about the distance. Aisha told HumAngle that the landowner could reclaim the property at any time, leaving the school stranded.
“I believe the impact of the gully erosion is enormous, especially on education. Also, we have been robbed of our source of livelihood and have not been able to recover,” she said.
Her fears extend beyond the school to her own family. “I also have children, and the rainy season will soon be here. You can’t be everywhere at every time to monitor your kids. They are very young and do not understand the dangers in areas affected by gully erosion. I am afraid to lose any of my children and my house because of gully erosion,” she added.
While there are no publicly available data specific to Mokwa or Niger State, a 2024 UNICEF report reveals the scale of climate‑induced disruptions to education across Nigeria. The report found that 2.2 million Nigerian students experienced interruptions to their schooling due to disasters such as flooding and erosion, underscoring how environmental crises directly undermine learning.
These disruptions compound existing vulnerabilities, leaving communities like Mokwa even more exposed when erosion destroys classrooms and forces children out of school. This data situates Mokwa’s erosion crisis within a broader pattern of climate‑driven educational instability, showing that the loss of Gbastif Global Academy is not an isolated tragedy but part of a systemic emergency threatening children’s futures.
A hospital in ruin
The entrance of Mokwa General Hospital in the magistrate area. Photo: Isah Ismaila/HumAngle.
Mokwa General Hospital, intended to serve as an important resource for the community, is collapsing due to gully erosion and inadequate maintenance. The hospital’s buildings show clear signs of decay, including peeling paint, broken windows, and walls damaged by erosion. Some parts of the structures have already collapsed, creating unsafe areas within the compound.
Drainage channels around the hospital have fallen into deep gullies and are now clogged with waste and debris. Instead of carrying water safely away, they have become dumping grounds, worsening waterlogging and exposing patients and staff to health risks.
Segment of the Mokwa General Hospital affected by gully erosion. Photo: Isah Ismaila/HumAngle.
The erosion has transformed the hospital environment into a hazardous zone. HumAngle observed that foundations are exposed, certain sections of the compound are unsafe to cross, and the surrounding land has eroded away. What should be a place of healing now mirrors the environmental collapse outside its walls, threatening public health and undermining confidence in essential services.
The situation at Mokwa General Hospital shows how unchecked erosion and poor ecological management are crippling critical infrastructure.
This mosque was destroyed by floodwater at Mokwa General Hospital. Photo: Isah Ismaila/HumAngle.
When infrastructure such as roads, schools, and hospitals is destroyed, the consequences become catastrophic, said Abbas Idris, a risk and disaster expert, who also noted that the collapse of a hospital due to erosion could leave communities without access to healthcare, leading to preventable deaths. He stressed the importance of proactive disaster management through risk assessment and hazard categorisation.
“If there are no risk assessments, the coping capacity of the community will be very low when disaster hits them,” he warned. “Without urgent intervention, the hospital risks becoming unusable, leaving thousands of residents without access to healthcare.”
Mokwa’s deadly deluge
In May 2025, Mokwa experienced a catastrophic flood that devastated the area, displacing over 3,000 people and resulting in more than 160 fatalities. This tragic event became the deadliest flood incident in the country that year. Entire families were wiped out as homes, schools, and farmlands vanished under torrents of muddy water. Hajara Malam Abba is one of those affected by this disastrous flooding.
Hajara Malam Abba lost 17 family members from last year’s deadly flood that hit Mokwa in May. Photo: Isah Ismaila/HumAngle.
For Hajara’s family, the devastation was deeply personal. “The things we lost from the flood incident in 2025 can never be recovered because we lost both lives and property,” she said.
In their family, her elder sister bore the heaviest burden, losing 17 members of her household – 16 grandchildren and her child – in a single night of flooding. Alongside the lives lost, the family’s livelihood was swept away: six refrigerators, five grinding machines, rams, clothes, and appliances all destroyed.
The aftermath forced them into precarious living conditions. Hajara’s sister rented another place to manage, while other family members who could not afford rent built makeshift tents on the same land where their homes once stood.
“It’s been almost a year now, but they still sleep there in vulnerable conditions, hoping that the government will eventually intervene,” Hajara said. “We can’t sleep in peace again because of the fear of the unknown, since the rainy season is almost here again.”
Alhaji Umar Sani, one of the flood victims, vividly remembers the morning the floodwaters came.
Alhaji Umar Sani’s house was destroyed by last year’s devastating flood that killed hundreds of residents in Mokwa. Photo: Isah Ismaila/HumAngle.
“It was around 6 a.m., after we had just finished praying the Subhi [dawn] prayer, then we heard people shouting,” he recounted. “My son told us he saw people drowning in the massive flood waters sweeping through homes.”
“Before we could act, the water had reached my house. My wife, my children, and I couldn’t take anything. I was only wearing a jalabiya and trousers, while my wife wore a hijab and trousers – everything else was washed away. The water covered my house. I am grateful it didn’t claim any of our lives,” he said.
In the wake of the disaster, President Bola Tinubu approved the release of ₦16.7 billion for the immediate reconstruction of the Mokwa Bridge, which was destroyed by flooding. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, stated this after a meeting with the Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi. He said the project would involve constructing a bridge with 10 spans.
As families cling to faith and resilience, scepticism lingers over government efforts as the drainage system under construction is seen as inadequate. “When the floodwater came, it was enormous. How then can this drainage contain the next flood? It ought to be bigger than this,” Hajara said.
Alhaji Umar, another victim of the gully erosion, echoed the same concern, noting that the project underway is “a culvert, not a bridge” and does not match the scale of the destruction. With over 250 people killed in Mokwa alone, residents fear the rainy season could bring another catastrophe. Idris, the risk and disaster expert, criticised the government’s reconstruction of the bridge in Mokwa, which was downgraded to a box culvert without a proper scientific assessment.
“Even in the reconstruction of the said bridge, the government failed to use experts to analyse the risk factors. The facility engineers were supposed to consider the disaster and suggest a suitable bridge model that can manage the floodwater. Instead, it was just constructed haphazardly,” he lamented.
Communities under siege
Each rainy season, the community around Mokwa General Hospital experiences severe erosion, causing families to lose their homes, crops, and peace of mind. Residents report that last year’s floods were particularly destructive, as water surged into the gullies and dangerously approached their homes. Several houses have suffered partial damage due to the erosion.
“We are not happy that this gully erosion has not been fixed,” Isa complained. “When there is heavy rainfall, the water finds its way to fill up these gullies, leaving us and our homes at risk. If the rainy season comes now, we don’t even know what will happen.”
Ruqayyah Ismail, a resident of the Yafu area of Mokwa, revealed how the gully erosion is affecting her family. Photo: Isah Ismaila/HumAngle.
Ruqayyah Ismail, another resident, described how the rainy season signals fear for her and other families. “When the rain falls, the front of our house turns into a river. Everywhere is filled with water as we have to stay indoors for days with our children without crossing over to the other side of our house,” she said.
The erosion has already destroyed her gate, and each year the water pushes further inside. Recounting a near-miss ordeal, she added: “An Okada rider had once fallen into the hole. On his way home, he slipped and fell into a ditch. He almost lost his life, but his motorcycle was found at the other end of the gully.”
Ruqayyah’s house is almost destroyed by the gully erosion. During the rainy season, it gets filled with water. Photo: Isah Ismaila/HumAngle.
Muhammed Jibril, whose family moved into their new house in 2006, told HumAngle that the erosion gradually worsened as the population grew. “From about five years ago, it became massive. Last year’s rainy season was the worst of all. We lost everything due to erosion. For more than six months, our neighbours were the ones feeding us,” he said.
Stored food supplies, including 13 bags of maize, were destroyed alongside clothing, electronic appliances, and money.
“Till today, we have not recovered from the disaster. I had to sell my motorcycle to build a buffer zone behind my fence to minimise the destruction,” he added.
Mohammed Jibril has lost about ₦4 million worth of harvest, appliances, and cash during last year’s flood that hit his community. Photo: Isah Ismaila/HumAngle.
Over the years, the persistent erosion has reshaped the community’s daily life. For most communities, the rainy season serves as a source of growth and prosperity, but for this community in Mokwa, it signals fear and disaster.
He described climbing to the overhead tank to monitor water levels, warning his family to evacuate if the flooding became too severe. The erosion even brought down his main gate, forcing him to relocate it onto a neighbour’s property.
“Fortunately, my neighbours understand that’s why they’ve been patient with us. Until they [government] construct a proper channel for the water to pass through, we have no choice but to remain like this,” he said.
Jibril told HumAngle that beyond psychological trauma, the financial toll has been staggering.
“Last year alone, if I recall the losses, it could make me cry. All of my harvests were destroyed, including sesame seeds, which were expensive in the market. In total, we lost about ₦4 million. But we were lucky not to lose any lives,” Jibril noted.
After every flood incident, residents say people who identify as World Bank officials visited the community to take measurements and collect their details, only to remain silent afterwards. “We need assistance before the rains start. They should fix it so that we can have peace of mind. That is all we ask for now,” Jibril pleaded.
According to the disaster expert Idris, the absence of adequate land management practices and unchecked deforestation are driving the crisis.
“Addressing gully erosion requires adequate land management practices, and if you look at Mokwa, that is absent,” Idris explained. “Deforestation has been thriving in the environment due to abject poverty, as people cut down trees for charcoal. Also, there has been little to no effort from the government to educate the community on erosion control measures.”
He called for accountability and a shift in leadership priorities.
“Unless we address corruption, unless our leaders change from their personal interests to that of the people, and unless they value the lives of those communities they are governing, we are not going to get it right.”
On April 7, HumAngle submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the Niger State government through the Commissioner for Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Alhaji Abubakar Musa. The request sought clarification regarding the $10 million World Bank-assisted fund earmarked for the Mokwa gully erosion control and also some ACReSAL projects in the LGA.
The government has not responded to that request. This lack of response comes despite the stipulated timeframe (7 days, with an extension of another 7 days) for a reply, as outlined in Nigeria’s FOI Act of 2011.
Pope Leo has called on global leaders to reduce international tensions and turn away from violence, delivering an emotional appeal during a visit to Pompei, Italy, on Friday. His remarks came just one day after he met U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Vatican, where both sides discussed efforts to improve strained relations between Washington and the Holy See.
The meeting took place against a politically sensitive backdrop, with U.S. President Donald Trump having recently criticized the Pope over his comments on the Iran conflict. Pope Leo, the first U.S.-born pontiff and former Cardinal Robert Prevost, has increasingly spoken out on global conflicts in recent weeks after initially maintaining a relatively low public profile following his election in May 2025.
Speaking to worshippers in Pompei, the Pope urged prayers that world leaders would be inspired to “calm rancour and fratricidal hatreds” and to take responsibility for reducing global violence. He also warned against becoming desensitized to images of war, and criticized what he described as an international system that often prioritizes the arms trade over human life.
Why It Matters
The Pope’s intervention highlights the growing moral and diplomatic role of the Vatican at a time of heightened global instability, particularly amid ongoing tensions involving Iran, the United States, and wider geopolitical rivalries. His criticism of the global arms economy directly challenges dominant security-driven foreign policy approaches, especially in Western capitals.
As the spiritual leader of more than 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, Pope Leo’s statements carry significant symbolic and diplomatic weight. His increasingly vocal stance on war and governance also places him in a rare position of open tension with major political actors, including the U.S. administration.
What’s Next
The Vatican is expected to continue engaging diplomatically with U.S. officials despite emerging tensions, particularly following the Rubio meeting. Pope Leo is likely to maintain his public messaging on peace, conflict prevention, and criticism of the global arms trade, reinforcing the Holy See’s traditional role as a moral voice in international affairs. At the same time, reactions from Washington and other governments may further shape the evolving tone of Vatican–state relations in the coming months.
It is Ramadan, and Bintu Suleiman, a 55-year-old mother and trader from Ngoshe in Borno State, North East Nigeria, is about to break her fast with her family.
Then, the gunshots begin, and within the hour, her home is on fire. As the terrorists round people up, she manages to slip away with her children and grandchildren into the bush. Later, she realises four of them did not make it with her. They are somewhere up in the mountains.
In this episode of #VOV, we see that, after the attack, Bintu, now displaced, is sheltering at a government primary school in Pulka and has no news of her children and grandchildren.
Reported by Sabiqah Bello
Voice acting by Rukayya Saeed
Multimedia editor is Anthony Asemota
Executive producer is Ahmad Salkida
Bintu Suleiman, a 55-year-old mother from Ngoshe, Borno State, is disrupted during Ramadan as terrorists attack her home, forcing her to flee with part of her family. Unfortunately, four family members are left behind in the mountains. Now displaced, Bintu seeks refuge at a primary school in Pulka, anxiously waiting for news of her missing children and grandchildren. This episode of #VOV highlights her plight amidst the ongoing violence.
FIFA have come in for criticism for the inflated prices of tickets at World Cup 2026 in US, Canada and Mexico.
Published On 8 May 20268 May 2026
President Donald Trump is the latest person to take a shot at the sky-high World Cup ticket prices, saying he would not pay $1,000 to watch the United States play against Paraguay on June 12 in Los Angeles.
Trump said he was unaware of the prices football fans are being asked to pay to watch a group-play match at the World Cup.
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“I did not know that number,” Trump told The New York Post. “I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn’t pay it either, to be honest with you.”
Earlier this week, FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended the cost of seats for the World Cup, saying they were in line with prices for major US sporting events.
“We have 25% of the group stage tickets which can be bought for less than $300,” Infantino said. “You cannot go to watch in the US a college game, not even speaking about a top professional game of a certain level, for less than $300. And this is the World Cup.”
The average cost of a ticket for the World Cup final on July 19 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is $13,000, according to reports. It was $1,600 for the 2022 final in Qatar.
Trump is worried the pricing will shut out working-class Americans from being able to attend a game.
“If people from Queens and Brooklyn and all of the people that love Donald Trump can’t go, I would be disappointed, but, you know, at the same time, it’s an amazing success,” he said of the World Cup that he helped land for the US during his first term as president. “I would like to be able to have the people that voted for me to be able to go.”
FIFA also released some tickets on Thursday, which gives fans a chance at first-come first-serve tickets.
According to TicketData.com, the current average price for Group Stage games is $567, down from $684 14 days ago and $720 from 30 days ago.
Field Level Media took a quick look Wednesday on the Ticketmaster website for the June 19 group-stage match between the US and Australia in Seattle, and that search did not display any bargains.
The lowest price for two tickets early Wednesday evening was a resale pair for $2,725.10, which broke down to $2,290 for the tickets and $435.10 in service fees. However, a new search 30 minutes later showed the total price climbing to $2,770.90 for seats high in the upper deck along the sideline at Lumen Field. For fans more familiar with football than futbol, they could be considered on the 25-yard line.
On Thursday afternoon, a newly listed pair of resale tickets was the lowest offering – two for $2,553.10. Those tickets were in the upper deck around the football end line and NFL end zone.
On its own marketplace, FIFA takes a 15% purchase fee from the buyer of a resold ticket and a 15% free from the seller.
TicketData.com said the cheapest available ticket has dropped in price for 87 of the 91 matches in the US and Canada over the past 14 days.
The World Cup will be played at 16 sites in the United States (11), Mexico (three) and Canada (two).
Rodney Barreto has received reassurances from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that ICE would steer clear of World Cup.
Published On 8 May 20268 May 2026
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will not be seen at World Cup matches this summer, according to the co-chair of the Miami host committee.
Rodney Barreto said on Thursday that he received reassurances from Secretary of State Marco Rubio that ICE would steer clear of the world football showcase.
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“ICE is not going to be at the stadium,” Barreto told US-based website, The Athletic. “This is not going to turn into some ‘round them up’ type of thing. That’s not the purpose of this.
“It’ll be a great experience for everybody. I think that we’re lucky that we do have a president who loves sports and has given us the resources to reimburse the cities for their police protection.”
Barreto added, “I spoke to Marco and, first of all, he’s going to make sure that the passports get processed and people can get here and there is an orderly process so people won’t be held up. It’s going to be a major undertaking by the federal government to do that. We feel very comfortable that we’re going to be in good hands.”
The deployment of ICE for immigration-enforcement raids has increased since Donald Trump began his second stint as president last year, igniting a significant political debate in the US.
South Florida’s role as a World Cup host market also comes against the backdrop of scenes from the 2024 Copa America championship game, when fans stormed the gates at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, causing a number of injuries and delaying the start of the Argentina-Colombia match.
“(The Miami World Cup organising committee) took the position that we didn’t want to be critical of the planners of that event,” Barreto told The Athletic. “It wasn’t our event. But now that time has passed, I would tell you that where the failure was, which was that there were no perimeters.
“People without tickets should have been nowhere near the entrance ways of that stadium. It didn’t take much to overrun an entrance. But listen, you learn from all these events, and you learn to do it better and come up with different scenarios which mitigate this from happening in the future. So that’s where we’re at.”
The two sides report responding to hundreds of drone attacks, just hours into a truce to cover celebrations of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany.
The CPJ says the ‘lack of concrete progress’ in the FBI investigation represents a failure by the US government.
Published On 8 May 20268 May 2026
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has demanded a “public progress update” from United States authorities on the FBI probe into the Israeli military’s killing of Palestinian-American Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, 51, who was shot dead in the occupied West Bank in 2022.
In an open letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and FBI chief Kash Patel, the CPJ said on Thursday evening that “the effectively stagnant status of this case is inconsistent with ensuring the security of US citizens anywhere in the world.”
It said the “lack of concrete progress” represents a failure by the US government to respond to the “killing of one of its citizens by a foreign military”.
It noted that there had been no formal interviews with witnesses, “despite the willingness of multiple witnesses to cooperate”, and no signs of FBI activity to gather evidence in Israel or Palestine.
Longtime TV correspondent for Al Jazeera Arabic, Abu Akleh, was covering Israeli army raids in the West Bank city of Jenin when she was killed by Israeli forces on May 11, 2022. She was wearing a clearly marked press vest when she was shot dead.
Shireen Abu Akleh shows her reporting from Jerusalem on May 22, 2021 [AFP]
Israel initially accused Palestinian fighters of her death, but the Israeli military later released a statement saying “it is not possible to unequivocally determine the source of the gunfire which hit” Abu Akleh. It added that there was a “high possibility” that she was hit by Israeli gunfire.
Many independent investigations conducted by CNN, The Associated Press news agency, and The Washington Post concluded that Abu Akleh was deliberately targeted, the CPJ letter noted.
‘Justice remains elusive’
The CPJ asked for a public update on the status of the investigation, a commitment to a timeline for the investigation, and the public release of its findings. It also said the investigation needs to be “impartial and independent, free from political considerations”.
Abu Akleh’s family said in a statement on Thursday, “despite the passage of time, justice remains elusive,” adding that the lack of justice “sends a dangerous message that journalists can be targeted without consequence”.
Abu Akleh’s death became a symbol of the wider Palestinian struggle. Murals of her have adorned the cities of the occupied territory as people remember her for her fearless reporting.
Since her killing, Israel has killed 258 journalists and media workers, the CPJ reported. Israel has acknowledged killing a number of journalists, alleging they had links to armed groups, accusations their employers deny and the CPJ calls “deadly smears”.
“The prevailing culture of complete impunity enjoyed by Israel is a direct factor in the continued targeting of journalists without deterrence,” said Sara Qudah, CPJ’s regional director. “Without an independent investigation and real accountability, such attacks will only continue to escalate, emboldening those who seek to silence the truth through violence.”
May 9 is a venerated date on the Russian calendar. The anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in World War II is usually commemorated with a grand military parade outside the Kremlin, on Moscow’s Red Square.
“For modern Russia, it’s the main holiday of the year,” said Oleg Ignatov, senior Russia analyst at Crisis Group. “There are two main holidays in Russia, the ninth of May and the New Year. And if you asked Russians, what is the main holiday, I think they would answer you that it’s the ninth of May.”
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This year, however, for the first time in nearly 20 years, there will be no tanks, missiles or junior cadets in the parade. The decision to hold back on showcasing military equipment comes as a result of heightened security fears over the war in Ukraine.
However, personnel from higher-level military academies will still take part in the procession on foot, while the aerial portion of the programme will remain unchanged – an aerobatic show, followed by a team of Sukhoi Su-25 fighter jets painting the sky in the tricolours of the Russian flag.
In official statements, the Kremlin has referred to “the current operational situation,” and threats of “Ukrainian terrorist activity.”
Ukrainian drones are now striking deeper and deeper into Russian territory on an almost daily basis, hitting targets such as oil facilities and airfields. A recent spate of drone attacks on the oil refinery in Tuapse, on Russia’s Black Sea coast, has caused an ecological catastrophe and prompted the evacuation of the town.
“Drones are indeed the primary means to attack Russia’s territory,” explained Olha Polishchuk, research manager for Europe, Central Asia and the Caucasus at Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED). “They are relatively cheap, modifiable and can travel long distances … Both Ukraine and Russia have switched to using primarily drones for their attacks.
He said that since 2025, drone strikes “completely overshadowed other attacks”.
“Their use has been effective overall; most drones are intercepted but if you send enough of them, some will reach the target.”
Fears of ‘political and psychological consequences’
Security and anti-drone defences have been tightened in the capital since the Ukrainian armed forces began sending drones there in 2023, with one striking the Kremlin itself.
Mobile internet has been periodically shut off in Moscow, Saint Petersburg and other areas of the country in the days running up to the event, with providers citing “security reasons”.
“Moscow has very strong air defence, which includes short-range surface-to-air missile systems, other missile systems, small arms and electronic warfare systems,” explained Polishchuk. “It is a multilayered system located both around and inside the city. In the past, authorities have shut down cellular networks in Moscow to complicate drone navigation.
“Ukraine very rarely attacks Moscow because the air defence would require a very large swarm of drones for any attack to land, but also because there are plenty of other strategically relevant targets that do not carry such a high risk of civilian casualties.”
Nevertheless, the Victory Day ceremonies present a clear risk. Such a concentration of troops and vehicles is vulnerable not only on the day of the parade itself but before and after, too: after all, that hardware must be stored somewhere.
“Of course, they care about drones which can fly from Ukraine, but most of these drones are being intercepted,” Crisis Group’s Ignatov told Al Jazeera. “They are more afraid of groups of people using small drones which are delivered to Russia, and used against targets inside Russia, like in Operation Spiderweb [in 2025] … Even if one or a couple of small drones hit a military parade, it may not cause a casualty, but it will have a demonstrative and psychological effect. I think what they care about is the political and psychological consequences of this.”
A Russian security officer sits atop an all-terrain infantry mobility vehicle amid increased security measures ahead of Victory Day, marking the anniversary of victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, near the Kremlin in central Moscow, Russia, on May 7, 2026 [Reuters]
The Victory Day parade is a tradition from the communist era, an occasion on which the citizenry could catch a glimpse of Soviet statesmen waving from atop Lenin’s tomb, as well as a chance for the then-superpower to show off its military might. But when the USSR collapsed in December 1991, the parades were shelved for nearly two decades until they were revived by President Vladimir Putin in 2008.
Since the start of the full-scale war in 2022, the Victory Day parade has been scaled back again. Only a solitary Soviet-era T-34 tank symbolically rolled across Red Square in 2024, although other types of vehicles, such as armoured personnel carriers and mobile missile launchers, were present.
Last year’s proceedings, however, packed a little more pomp. Not only did the parade feature modern tanks, the TOS-2 Tosochka heavy flamethrower systems and Iskander ballistic missiles, but also Russian troops marching alongside Chinese soldiers.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping watched the show sitting beside Putin, one of 27 heads of state in attendance, including Brazilian President Lula da Silva and Ibrahim Traore of Burkina Faso. The turnout seemed to indicate that, despite international condemnation of the invasion of Ukraine, Moscow was not isolated.
‘Victory over Nazi barbarism’ or a ‘cynical distortion of history’
“A celebration of the Soviet and Allied defeat of Hitler’s Nazi-Fascist alliance, Victory Day is the most sacred date on Russia’s political calendar,” said British historian Geoffrey Roberts.
“As ever, Victory Day will be celebrated as a Soviet as well as a Russian victory – the result of the common struggle of all the peoples of the multinational USSR, not least millions of Ukrainians. Victory Day is for the Russian government a day of multiethnic unity. It is also a reminder of the international antifascist unity – of the Soviet-Western coalition during World War II that together saved the world from Nazi barbarism.”
The Eastern Front of the second world war, known as the Great Patriotic War in Russia, occupies a central place in Russian national memory. About 27 million Soviet citizens, including Russians, lost their lives in the conflict, more than any other country, and it was the Red Army’s soldiers that hoisted their flag over the Reichstag in Berlin in 1945. The German surrender was officially finalised on May 9.
This memory is evoked by Putin’s government today, claiming it is fighting “Nazis” on the battlefields of Ukraine.
Spectators, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Turkmen President Serdar Berdimuhamedov and Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, attend a military parade on Victory Day, marking the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II, in Red Square in central Moscow, Russia, on May 9, 2025 [Sputnik/Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Pool via Reuters]
“It appears that in modern Russia, 9 May has been twisted to actually support aggressive behaviour and militarisation,” Polishchuk said.
“It is a big source of pride which supports the notion that Russia is strong, undefeated, and will not tolerate disrespect from anyone. The more common ‘never again’ in reference to WWII became ‘we can do it again’ in Russia as a popular Victory Day slogan. This posturing becomes even more important during an ongoing war, as it supports another sort of reality – one where Russia has not made a mistake by invading Ukraine and is not currently failing to achieve its military objectives.”
According to the open-source intelligence project Oryx, more than 14,000 Russian tanks, APCs and other combat vehicles have been destroyed, captured, abandoned or otherwise lost since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022.
Modern Ukraine considers Victory Day, as celebrated in Russia today, a cynical distortion of history and seeks to discourage foreign dignitaries from attending, Polishchuk added.
“Ukraine is generally more level-headed than Russia in sticking to targets that have a military objective, but this is indeed one of the instances where the [potential] attack appears largely symbolic,” she said. “Ukraine may decide to save resources this time and not attack Moscow – it could be a sane choice since air defence will be on high alert and security concerns may already discourage participation, yet Russian authorities have no choice but to try to reduce the risk regardless.”
Warring sides accuse each other of violations as attacks continue across front lines.
Published On 8 May 20268 May 2026
Russia and Ukraine have accused each other of breaching a short ceasefire announced by Moscow to coincide with Victory Day commemorations marking the Soviet Union’s defeat of Nazi Germany.
The Kremlin said its forces downed 264 Ukrainian drones early on Friday, with officials in Moscow reporting attempted attacks on the capital and in the Perm region in the Ural Mountains.
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The truce, declared from May 8 to May 10, was intended to cover annual celebrations that include a military parade in Moscow.
Russia had warned that any disruption would trigger a large-scale missile response against Kyiv, urging foreign diplomats to leave the Ukrainian capital before potential escalation.
In a separate announcement, the Russian transport ministry said on Friday that 13 airports in Russia’s south halted operations due to drone attacks.
“Operations at the regional centre in Rostov-on-Don, which manages air traffic in southern Russia, have been temporarily suspended after Ukrainian drone struck the administrative building of the ‘Southern Russia Air Navigation’ branch,” the ministry said.
There were no casualties, it added.
Victory Day commemorations mark the Soviet Union’s loss of 27 million people in World War II, as it drove Nazi forces back to Berlin, where Adolf Hitler died, and the Red Army’s Soviet Victory Banner was raised over the Reichstag in May 1945.
‘We will defend our people’s lives’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russian forces continued to attack positions overnight, dismissing the ceasefire as ineffective.
He said Russia had carried out more than 140 attacks on front-line positions by early morning, alongside 10 assaults and more than 850 drone attacks.
“As we did over the past 24 hours, Ukraine will respond in kind today as well. We will defend our positions and people’s lives,” Zelenskyy said.
Ukraine also reported striking a Russian oil facility in Yaroslavl, deep inside Russian territory, in what Kyiv described as retaliation for attacks on its cities.
“Ukraine’s long-range sanctions continued in response to Russian strikes on our cities and villages,” Zelenskyy said.
Kyiv had proposed an open-ended ceasefire beginning on May 6, which it said Russia ignored. Moscow did not adopt that proposal, and neither side accepted the other’s terms.
In remarks before the truce, Zelenskyy criticised Russia’s approach to the commemorations, saying Moscow sought a pause “to hold their parade, to go out onto the square safely for an hour once a year, and then continue killing, killing our people and waging war”.
“The Russians are already talking about strikes after May 9. Strange and certainly inappropriate of the Russian leadership,” he added.
“Just as 81 years ago, so now America can help peace with a just and strong stance against the aggressor,” Zelenskyy said. “And it is important that the American people now view Russia precisely in this way – as an aggressor.”
The Oklahoma City Thunder pulled away late to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 125-107 in an NBA playoff thriller, taking a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven Western Conference semifinal series.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player and finalist for the award this season, scored 22 points and the Thunder capitalised on 21 Lakers turnovers on Thursday to hand LeBron James a defeat in his 300th career playoff game.
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Elsewhere, Eastern Conference top seeds Detroit are also up 2-0 after a 107-97 home win over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In Oklahoma City, Gilgeous-Alexander was again below his best, but he was amply supported.
Chet Holmgren scored 22 points and pulled down nine rebounds, Ajay Mitchell added 20 points, and Jared McCain delivered 18 points off the bench to help the Thunder withstand a 31-point performance from Austin Reaves.
James, who became the first player to contest 300 postseason games, scored 23 points and handed out six assists, and the Lakers led by five points early in the third quarter.
But with league-leading scorer Luka Doncic still sidelined by injury, the Lakers could not hang on, even with Gilgeous-Alexander on the bench for considerable stretches because of foul trouble.
Oklahoma City produced a 22-5 scoring run to seize control and will aim to keep the pressure on when the series shifts to Los Angeles for games three and four on Saturday and Monday.
“We’ve got to be the aggressor,” Gilgeous-Alexander said. “I feel like they were playing with more force, they were attacking harder, making quicker decisions, playing with a better sense of urgency, especially in the first half.
“As long as we take care of that, we should have our foot in the right direction.”
A bruising contest saw both teams irked by the officiating. Gilgeous-Alexander was whistled for a flagrant foul, and both he and James were sprawled out under the basket after a foul by Reaves late in the game.
Lakers coach JJ Redick took issue with the officiating, saying the Thunder “have a few guys who commit a foul on every possession”.
But, he added, “We didn’t lose because of the refs.”
Cunning thrives in ‘high-stakes’ situation
In Detroit, Cade Cunningham scored 12 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and handed out 10 assists to lead the Pistons.
They set the defensive tone early but had to rally late after the Cavaliers battled back to take a two-point lead early in the fourth quarter.
“I just want to win games,” Cunningham said of his dominant fourth-quarter performance. “It’s been a lot of games down the stretch where it’s tight … The ball is in my hands and I’ve got to make plays with it.
“The pressure and the moment, it’s high stakes … all of that stuff fuels me.”
Cunningham in action at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan [Brian Sevald/NBAE/Getty Images via AFP]
Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 31 points. Jarrett Allen chipped in 22, but James Harden had just 10 on three-of-13 shooting, and his four turnovers included a costly giveaway in the final minute.
The Cavaliers have a mountain to climb as they head home for game three on Saturday and game four on Monday.
The Pistons, who locked up the top seed in the East with the third-best record in the league, had to fight back from a 3-1 deficit to beat the Orlando Magic in the first round.
In this series, they were determined to hold on to home-court advantage, and game two featured another lockdown defensive display from Detroit, leading to a 54-43 halftime lead.
The Cavaliers responded in the third quarter and took the lead on Evan Mobley’s dunk minutes into the fourth – their first lead since the opening minutes.
But they could not hang on. A Duncan Robinson three-pointer put Detroit back in front, and they would not trail again.
Cunningham said the Pistons will have to “turn up our energy even more” in Cleveland.
As governments gather in New York for the second International Migration Review Forum (IMRF) to assess progress on global migration commitments, a central question looms: is the Global Compact for Migration improving conditions for people on the move?
The answer is yes.
Adopted in 2018, the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration is the first international agreement aimed at making migration safer and more humane through cooperation. For the Middle East and North Africa, the International Organization for Migration’s Global Overview of Migration Routes (2025), which tracks migration patterns, risks and deaths along major routes worldwide, offers a mixed picture. Some routes are shifting, but the risks people face remain severe, and in some cases are worsening.
Across the Mediterranean, arrival numbers alone can be misleading. In 2025, just more than 66,500 people reached Italy and Malta via the Central Mediterranean Route, almost identical to the year before. Arrivals to Greece, Cyprus and Bulgaria along the Eastern Mediterranean Route fell by about 30 percent, while the Western Mediterranean Route saw a modest rise. The Western African Atlantic Route to the Canary Islands recorded a dramatic 62 percent drop.
Taken in isolation, these figures might suggest reduced pressure on Europe’s borders. But lower arrivals do not automatically mean safer journeys. On the Eastern Mediterranean Route, deaths and disappearances nearly doubled in a single year. On the Western African Atlantic Route, deaths barely declined despite the steep drop in arrivals – meaning the probability of dying at sea increased. And on the Central Mediterranean Route, more than 1,300 people are known to have died in 2025, keeping it among the world’s deadliest migration corridors.
These trends reflect a broader reality: When border controls tighten or routes shift, journeys often become longer, more fragmented and more dangerous. People continue to move, but with fewer options, many are pushed towards irregular and high‑risk pathways.
Sudan illustrates how crises can reshape mobility across an entire region. Three years after the conflict erupted in April 2023, Sudan has become the world’s largest displacement crisis. At the peak, the number of internally displaced people more than tripled, reaching more than 11.5 million. Nearly 4 million people have returned home – often to damaged or partially destroyed housing – but almost 9 million remain displaced. Against this backdrop, it is not surprising that more Sudanese nationals are appearing along both Eastern and Central Mediterranean routes. For many, these journeys are not a first choice but a last resort, when options in Sudan and neighbouring countries are constrained.
The MENA region is also deeply connected to global mobility patterns. Movements from Asia and the Pacific to Europe increased significantly in 2025, with nearly one in three irregular arrivals originating from that region. Many of these journeys intersect with North Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean. A visa policy change in one country, a conflict flare‑up in another, or a new enforcement measure along a corridor can reshape risks across thousands of kilometres.
Meanwhile, the underlying pressures driving mobility in and around MENA are not easing. The region has one of the world’s youngest populations, with youth unemployment often exceeding 20 percent. Climate‑related shocks – droughts, floods, heatwaves – are increasingly interacting with conflict and economic stress. These factors rarely operate in isolation; they compound one another, shaping both internal displacement and cross‑border movement. What does this mean for policy? Several priorities stand out.
First, search and rescue capacities must adapt to evolving realities. Stabilising or declining arrival numbers should never be mistaken for reduced risk. The sharp rise in deaths on some routes underscores the need for stronger cooperation on distress response, better data on deaths and disappearances, and sustained support for front-line communities. Saving lives at sea and on land is a humanitarian, legal and moral imperative.
Second, safe and regular pathways must be expanded. When regular options are limited, people facing violence, economic hardship or family separation are more likely to turn to irregular routes. Well‑designed labour mobility schemes, family reunification channels and humanitarian pathways can reduce reliance on dangerous journeys while supporting development in both origin and destination countries.
Third, better and shared data are essential. The Global Overview and Sudan displacement figures show the value of combining arrival statistics, intention surveys and information on deaths and missing people. Continued investment in national data systems can help governments anticipate pressures and design more effective policies.
Finally, intensified cooperation is required. In New York this week 130 states from all over the world are engaging in driving forward implementation of the Global Compact, recognising that migration is a phenomenon best governed through principled and constructive partnership.
This IMRF is about collaboration, and clarity about what we will do next. Expand safe and regular pathways. Strengthen fair recruitment and worker protection. Invest in data and protection systems that save lives. And cooperate across borders to take down criminal networks. If we get this right, fewer people will suffer, fewer lives will be lost – and more people, and societies, will thrive. That is the opportunity before us – here, and now. Let us seize it – together.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera’s editorial stance.
US President Donald Trump says the ceasefire with Iran is still in effect, despite American and Iranian forces trading fire in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. Trump threatened pain for Tehran unless it signs a truce quickly.
Brent crude rises amid clashes in critical waterway.
Published On 8 May 20268 May 2026
Oil prices have jumped after clashes between United States and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz pushed their tenuous ceasefire to the brink.
Futures for Brent crude rose as much as 7.5 percent during a volatile trading session on Thursday, before easing as Asia’s markets opened on Friday morning.
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The international benchmark stood at $101.12 per barrel as of 03:00 GMT, down from the day’s high of $103.70.
The latest rise came after the US and Iran exchanged fire in the critical strait, a conduit for about one-fifth of global oil and natural gas supplies, despite the truce announced between the sides on April 7.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it launched strikes on Iran after three US Navy guided-missile destroyers came under attack from Iranian missiles, drones and small boats in the strait.
Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters earlier accused the US of violating the ceasefire by attacking an Iranian oil tanker and another vessel in the vicinity of the waterway.
The Iranian military headquarters also accused the US of targeting civilian areas, including Qeshm Island.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday appeared to downplay the clashes, saying the ceasefire remained in effect, while Iran’s state-run Press TV said the situation had gone “back to normal”.
Shipping in the strait has been at a near standstill since late February amid the threat of Iranian attacks on the massive oil tankers that usually transport much of the world’s energy supplies.
Brent prices are up about 40 percent compared with before the war amid an estimated shortfall in daily production of 14.5 million barrels.
Asian stock markets opened lower on Friday amid the heightened tensions, with Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225, South Korea’s KOSPI and Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index each falling more than 1 percent.
On Wall Street, the benchmark S&P 500 fell about 0.4 percent overnight after hitting an all-time high the previous day.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
With the U.S. Air Force set to still be flying B-52s at least into 2050, at which point the youngest examples will be some 88 years old, it has become common to quip about the bombers staying in service forever. However, the Air Force is now looking to conduct a formal review of its requirements to see whether the development of a successor might be warranted, and potentially sooner rather than later.
The Air Force is asking for $1 million in its budget request for the 2027 Fiscal Year to conduct a New Heavy Bomber Analysis of Alternatives (AoA). Aviation Weekwas the first to report on the appearance of this AoA in the service’s budget documents. All branches of the U.S. military routinely use the AoA process to assess available options and further refine requirements for new weapon systems and other capabilities.
The Air Force currently has 76 B-52Hs in service. The last of these aircraft rolled off Boeing’s production line in 1962, though they have received numerous upgrades in the decades since then. These bombers continue to be in high demand as conventional long-range strike platforms, as evidenced by their heavy use in the latest conflict with Iran. They also play a key role in the air leg of America’s nuclear triad.
A B-52 bomber heads out to conduct strikes on targets in Iran in March 2026. USAF
“A Heavy Bomber Analysis of Alternatives will begin in FY27 [Fiscal Year 2027] to analyze the future long range strike requirements to determine future B-52 requirements and costs and/or a new heavy bomber aircraft configuration and costs,” the Air Force’s latest proposed budget explains.
More specifically, the newly requested funding will support “initial planning activities to develop key performance parameters, key system attributes, and additional performance attributes for a follow-on heavy bomber in the USAF,” per the service’s budget documents. “The FY27 work scope will include key planning activities for programmatic, requirements, capabilities, and vendor options that could field [sic] in the future.”
The $1 million in funding for the AoA would come through a line item titled “Advanced Concept Demonstration” contained within the section of the Air Force’s budget for “B-52 System Improvements.” The service did not ask for or receive any money for this particular line item in Fiscal Year 2026, but did get nearly $4 million in funding for it in the preceding fiscal cycle.
The Fiscal Year 2025 funding supported a “classified Proof of Concept demonstration on the B-52,” according to the budget documents.
The Air Force is already in the midst of a massive, multi-billion-dollar modernization effort for the B-52 fleet. In the coming years, the bombers are set to get new engines, radars, communications capabilities, and more, as you can learn about in more detail here. The upgrades are so substantial that the aircraft will be redesignated B-52Js in the process. A host of new ordnance, including advanced hypersonic missiles and new nuclear weapons, is set to be integrated onto the B-52 fleet, as well.
B-52 Future Stratofortress: The Upgrades That Will Transform The B-52H Into The B-52J
A rendering of what the future B-52J configuration will look like. Boeing
Based on the Air Force’s current force structure plans, the B-52 is set to outlast both the B-1 and B-2 bombers, and serve alongside the forthcoming B-21. Despite its age, the B-52’s design has certain unique benefits, especially the space underneath its wings for the carriage of outsized payloads, including very large munitions. This has also led the bombers to play important roles in research and development and test and evaluation efforts in the past, including air-launching large crewed and uncrewed aircraft.
An AGM-183 Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) hypersonic missile under the wing of a B-52H bomber. USAF A live AGM-183A Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon (ARRW) hypersonic missile under the wing of a B-52 bomber at Andersen Air Force Base on Guam in February 2024. This picture was taken ahead of the last publicly known planned live-fire test, which occcured the following month. USAFA modified NB-52B bomber releases an X-15 experimental rocket-powered aircraft during flight testing in the 1960s. USAF
There is really nothing like the B-52 in production today anywhere globally, which has further contributed to its long service life. There is only one company in the United States currently building heavy bombers of any type, Northrop Grumman, with the B-21. The stealthy Raider is a very different aircraft designed to meet a very different set of requirements from the B-52, hence the Air Force’s stated plan to operate the two aircraft together for decades to come.
Two pre-production B-21 Raider bombers. USAF
The Air Force’s budget documents do not specify any particular design or other requirements for a follow-on heavy bomber. One possibility could be an aircraft with a blended wing body (BWB) planform, something the service has already been exploring for other mission sets. A BWB aircraft could offer a limited degree of low-observability (stealthiness), as well as significant internal payload capacity, including the ability to carry outsized stores. This could also be paired with Air Force plans for a next-generation aerial refueling tanker, which we will come back to in a moment.
A rendering of a blended wing body demonstrator aircraft already in development for the Air Force. USAF A rendering of the blended wing body demonstrator aircraft now in development for the Air Force. USAF
Whatever design requirements might emerge, a new heavy bomber to supplant the B-52 would not need to be as complex as the B-21. Still, it could involve a costly development cycle and risk, with few, if any, additional customers beyond the Air Force on the horizon. Today, only the United States, Russia, and China fly heavy bombers of any kind. Other countries, such as Australia, could be interested if the aircraft was uniquely cost-effective and could be exported.
The US Air Force’s current bomber force, left to right, the B-1, B-2, and B-52. USAF
The New Heavy Bomber AoA might also consider more radically different options for meeting even just some of the requirements that the B-52 fulfills today. As a tangential example, the Air Force has looked at a very wide array of concepts for next-generation aerial refueling capabilities, including stealthy, BWB, and business jet-based tankers, as well as packaging an aerial refueling boom in a ‘buddy store’ type pod that a fighter could carry.
The Air Force’s desire to conduct this AoA now also raises questions about the future of its existing B-52 modernization plans and the expected service life of the bombers. From what has been publicly disclosed to date, a fully upgraded force of B-52Js is still a decade away, at least, from becoming a reality. The re-engining effort and work on the new radars, the two biggest ticket items in the upgrade package, have also been beset by delays and cost growth.
Deciding to conduct an AoA does not commit the Air Force to pursue any particular course of action. As the budget documents note, the new heavy bomber review is also set to explore “future long range strike requirements to determine future B-52 requirements” that do not necessarily lead directly to a full follow-on program. We do not know what the service may have already concluded in this regard from the results of the classified demonstration in Fiscal Year 2025, either.
Regardless, despite the jokes, the B-52 cannot fly forever. At some point, the airframes will simply age out. The service is now clearly looking to put serious thought into what might come next.
Nayef Samaro, 26, left work in Nablus to run errands for his wife, who was hours away from delivering their first son by C-section. He was excited, despite the Israeli army raiding his city.
An Israeli soldier shot Nayef in the head, leaving him to bleed out in the street. He never saw his son.
Barcelona are set to storm La Liga this year and could seal title in Sunday’s Clasico, but what is the history of the Real Madrid rivalry?
Barcelona and Real Madrid will contest the 264th El Clasico when the Spanish giants come together in a La Liga clash on Sunday.
Rarely will there have been a more highly charged atmosphere with a heavily demoralised Real arriving in the Catalan capital, facing the prospect of watching their fiercest rivals crowned champions on the day.
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Although knocked out of the UEFA Champions League at the quarterfinals, as Los Blancos were too, Barca are well on course to defend their La Liga crown – and at a canter.
Al Jazeera Sport takes a look at the talking points heading into the game and what the history is of a 124-year-old rivalry.
Will Kylian Mbappe play for Real Madrid against Barcelona?
The headline news surrounding Sunday’s game is the availability of Kylian Mbappe, with the French striker a doubt for the Clasico because of a hamstring injury.
The 27-year-old striker tops the scoring charts in the Spanish league this season with 24 goals. Mallorca’s Vedat Muriqi is a surprise second on the list with 21 strikes, while Barca’s Lamine Yamal, who is out for the remainder of the season, has netted 16 times and is third on the list.
Despite Mbappe’s goalscoring achievements, a “Mbappe out” petition has garnered more than 33 million signatures calling for the club to sell the striker, who joined from Paris Saint-Germain two seasons ago.
What happened to Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde?
Federico Valverde will definitely miss out on El Clasico after a training ground bust-up on Thursday resulted in the midfielder being taken to hospital.
The 27-year-old Uruguayan is understood to have sustained a head injury following an incident with teammate Aurelien Tchouameni.
Real have said they are investigating internally, and have already decided to open disciplinary proceedings against both players.
It is not yet clear if Frenchman Tchouameni will be available for Sunday’s match as a result.
How can Barcelona win La Liga in Sunday’s El Clasico?
Alvaro Arbeloa’s Real trail Hansi Flick’s reigning champions by 11 points with four matches remaining, and are sinking towards a second straight season without a major trophy.
Anything but a win for Real on Sunday will see Barca lift the trophy in their own stadium against the only side to have won La Liga more.
What is meant by El Clasico?
The term El Clasico first appeared in a Spanish newspaper during the 1960s in reference to matches between the two biggest club teams in Spain.
The simple translation is “The Classic”.
By that time, the match had already been long considered one of sport’s fiercest derbies.
How did El Clasico become Spain’s greatest rivalry?
Originally, the phrase “Viejo Clasico” (Old Classic) was a term that referred to the Madrid derby between Real and Athletic Bilbao.
The match between the pair has historically been the most-played fixture in Spanish football before the rise of Barcelona to one of the two most prominent teams in the country.
The term El Clasico, although a 1960s invention in Spain, became a more widely popular and globally associated name when the rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona peaked in the 1990s.
Johan Cruyff’s Barcelona were a side to be feared on the global stage, but Quinta del Buitre’s Real were putting up a stern test. In the late 90s, Real’s superstar lineup was dubbed the Galacticos following the heavy financial investment in overseas stars such as Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and David Beckham.
By the turn of the century, the rivalry was recognised as one of the biggest match-ups in world sport and heralded in the era of Pep Guardiola vs Jose Mourinho in the dugouts – and the small matter of Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo on the field.
When was the first El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid?
The first match between the clubs took place on May 13, 1902, in the Copa de la Coronacion (a predecessor to the Copa del Rey).
Barcelona won the match 3-1 in the Spanish capital against Madrid FC (the club later became Real Madrid).
Who has won more El Clasico matches, Real Madrid or Barcelona?
Of the 261 matches between the clubs over the last 124 years, Real have won 106, while Barcelona have won 105.
How many times have Real Madrid and Barcelona won La Liga?
Real have lifted the La Liga trophy 36 times while Barca are targeting their 28th title.
Who has scored the most El Clasico goals?
Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 26 goals for Barcelona
Alfredo Di Stefano (Portugal) – 18 goals for Real Madrid
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) – 18 goals for Real Madrid
Karim Benzema (France) – 16 goals for Real Madrid
Raul (Spain) – 15 goals for Real Madrid
What are the last five results between Barcelona and Real Madrid?
January 11, 2026 – Spanish Super Cup final: Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid
October 26, 2025 – La Liga: Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona
May 11, 2025 – La Liga: Barcelona 4-3 Real Madrid
April 26, 2025 – Copa del Rey final: Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid (after extra time)
January 12, 2025 – Spanish Super Cup final: Real Madrid 2-5 Barcelona
How can I follow Sunday’s El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid?
We will bring you our comprehensive text commentary stream of Sunday’s match, starting with our usual extensive build-up – including all the news, analyses and opinion surrounding the game.
Weekly insights and analysis on the latest developments in military technology, strategy, and foreign policy.
Iranian media outlets are reporting that a port on Iran’s largest island in the Strait of Hormuz came under attack. However, details are scant at the moment and no images have emerged to support the claims. We have reached out to U.S. Central Command for more information. The reports come as negotiations between the U.S. and Iran to end the war have been ongoing during a fragile ceasefire that would be further imperiled by a new round of fighting.
This story has been updated with new information from CENTCOM that it attacked Iranian targets in response to U.S. Navy destroyers being fired on by Iran.
“FARS investigations in Bandar Abbas show that during the exchange of fire between the Iranian armed forces and the enemy, parts of the commercial area of Bahman Qeshm pier were targeted,” the official Iranian FARS news outlet reported on Telegram.
The outlet did not say who had launched the attack. In a previous report, the Far said that “sounds of several explosions were heard near Bandar Abbas. A few minutes ago, people in Bandar Abbas heard several sounds resembling explosions near the city.”
The IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News reports signs indicating a “UAE hostile action at Bahman Port in Qeshm,” while the explosions in Bandar Abbas were related to “defense activity in response to two small aircraft, ” Israel’s I24 News reporter Ariel Oseran reported on X. “If this issue is confirmed, the UAE will pay the cost of its hostile action.”
The IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News reports signs indicating a “UAE hostile action at Bahman Port in Qeshm,” while the explosions in Bandar Abbas were related to “defense activity in response to two small aircraft.”
— Ariel Oseran أريئل أوسيران (@ariel_oseran) May 7, 2026
Though it is unclear what is taking place, online flight trackers show at least five U.S. KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling jets got airborne from the UAE at the same time. We don’t yet know if this is related.
With reports coming in of explosions heard in Bandar Abbas in Iran, the fleet of tankers stationed in the UAE have gotten airborne as a group, potentially with the UAE either fearing further Iranian… pic.twitter.com/Q4NEMW44Ic
The reported attack comes amid heightened tensions in the Strait and two days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the abrupt pause of Project Freedom, an effort to protect commercial shipping in the Persian Gulf. Though Trump claimed he did so to foster further negotiations with Iran, NBC News later reported that the president ended Project Freedom after one day because Saudi officials, surprised by the operation, withdrew access to its bases and airspace.
It also comes after Iran attacked the UAE and Oman in response to the U.S. moving to evacuate ships from the Persian Gulf under the now stalled Project Freedom. It’s possible this could be a direct retaliation for those actions from one of those countries. At the same time, there have been past reports of Iran activating its air defenses, possibly due to operations to probe the country’s air defenses in order to determine their status. This could be another one of those instances or a result of confusion entirely.
Iran’s islands in the Strait of Hormuz are strategic strongholds from which it can project its forces and surveil the region. The complex littorals that make up this waterway make it an ideal area for employing small boat swarming tactics. Iran retains much of its small boat capacity even after Epic Fury and has trained to employ it for decades. These islands are also a host to anti-ship missile and one-way attack drone systems. These can turn the Strait and the surrounding bodies of water into very dangerous places for ships to operate. This arsenal remains partially intact.
This is a developing story. We will update this post when we know more.
UPDATE: 5:01 PM
Fox News Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffin is now reporting on X that the U.S. attacked Qeshm Port and Bandar Abbas. Citing a senior U.S. official, she said she was told “but this is NOT a restarting of the war.
We have reached out to the Pentagon, CENTCOM and the White House for more details.
NEW: US military just carried out strikes on Iran’s Qeshm Port and Bandar Abbas: Senior US official tells me, but this is NOT a restarting of the war.
FARS is now claiming that the U.S. “violated the ceasefire by targeting an Iranian oil tanker ship moving from Iranian coastal waters in the Jask area towards the Strait of Hormuz, as well as another ship entering the Strait of Hormuz opposite the port of Fujairah, UAE. At the same time, they carried out air assaults on civilian areas in cooperation with some regional countries on the coasts of Bandar Khamir, Sirik, and Qeshm Island.”
We cannot independently verify that and have reached out to CENTCOM for further details.
Summary of statement from the Iranian military:
– The US attacked two ships
– US “in cooperation with some regional countries” attacked Qeshm Island and elsewhere
As we noted earlier in this story, the reported attacks on Iran came amid further discussion between the U.S. and Iran over peace negotiations.
Washington and Tehran “are discussing a one-page plan for both sides to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end hostilities for 30 days while they try to reach a comprehensive deal,” The New York Times reported hours before the strikes took place.
NYT: Three senior Iranian officials say Tehran and the United States are discussing a one-page plan for both sides to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end hostilities for 30 days while they try to reach a comprehensive deal.https://t.co/X7quMi0g38
The U.S. military also just struck Iran’s Bandar Kargan naval checkpoint in Minab, Griffin reported, citing a senior U.S. official. That’s located about 50 miles due east of Bandar Abbas.
I can confirm from senior US official that the US military also just struck Iran’s Bandar Kargan naval checkpoint in Minab.
“U.S. forces intercepted unprovoked Iranian attacks and responded with self-defense strikes as U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz to the Gulf of Oman, May 7,” the command wrote.
“Iranian forces launched multiple missiles, drones and small boats as USS Truxtun (DDG 103), USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115), and USS Mason (DDG 87) transited the international sea passage. No U.S. assets were struck.”
CENTCOM “eliminated inbound threats and targeted Iranian military facilities responsible for attacking U.S. forces including missile and drone launch sites; command and control locations; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance nodes,” the command added. “CENTCOM does not seek escalation but remains positioned and ready to protect American forces.”
