India and Pakistan have been trading drone and artillery attacks in some of the most intense fighting in nearly 30 years. India claims it brought down some of the more than 300 drones launched by Pakistan. Pakistan denies sending the drones but said it shot down 77 Indian drones.
Mexico has sued the technology company Google for adopting United States President Donald Trump’s labelling of the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America”.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced the lawsuit on Friday, without providing further details. Mexico’s foreign relations ministry had previously sent letters to the tech giant asking it not to use “Gulf of America” to refer to waters within its territory.
Currently, the Gulf of Mexico appears as the “Gulf of America” on Google Maps for users within the US. It appears as “Gulf of Mexico” for users outside of the US.
On January 20, his first day in office, Trump signed an executive order changing the body of water’s name in all references by the federal government. A few weeks later, on February 9, he flew over the gulf and declared it to be “Gulf of America Day” in a separate proclamation.
Critics have said the move is in line with Trump’s expansionist goals, which include threatening to take control of the Panama Canal and Greenland, and pushing for Canada to become the “51st state”.
The body of water in question, an oceanic basin cradled between the southern US and Mexico, has carried the name “Gulf of Mexico” for more than 400 years.
Mexico has argued that, if the US is to adopt the term “Gulf of America”, the new name should only apply to the part of the gulf that sits over the US continental shelf. That boundary generally aligns with the US-Mexico maritime border.
In February, Cris Turner, Google’s vice president of government affairs and public policy, told Mexico it would not change its naming convention, according to a letter shared by Sheinbaum at the time.
Turner said the company was following its “longstanding maps policies impartially and consistently across all regions”.
Google, part of the Alphabet conglomerate, has said it updates its region names according to the US Geographic Names System.
Since taking office, Trump has also moved to change federal documents referring to the tallest peak in North America as Denali, its traditional Alaskan name. He has reverted its name to Mount McKinley, a more recent name adopted by gold miners to honour a slain president.
The controversy over the “Gulf of Mexico”, however, has galvanised politicians in Trump’s Republican Party.
On Thursday, the US House of Representatives voted along party lines, 211 to 206, to formalise “Gulf of America” as the official name, with only one Republican joining the Democrats in opposition. The bill is likely to face steeper odds in the Senate, should it be taken up for a vote.
The Mexico-Google standoff has not been the only tussle related to Trump’s renaming of the gulf.
A month after taking office, the White House sought to block The Associated Press news agency from reporting from the Oval Office and on board Air Force One, in retaliation for the organisation’s insistence on referring to the body of water as the Gulf of Mexico.
Who: Barcelona vs Real Madrid
What: Spanish Copa del Rey
Where: Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium in Barcelona, Spain
When: Sunday at 4:15pm local time (14:15 GMT)
Follow Al Jazeera Sport’s live text and photo commentary stream.
LaLiga leaders Barcelona will look to extend their lead over second-placed Real Madrid to seven points when the teams meet in the Spanish top flight on Sunday.
With only four games to play of the domestic season in Spain, victory for Barca would put one hand on the title that Real won last season.
It would also cap a season of dominance for the Catalan club over their fierce rivals.
Al Jazeera looks through all the talking points and news before the final El Clasico of the season.
Real Madrid’s season appeared disastrous a few weeks ago, but if Carlo Ancelotti’s side can finally beat rivals Barcelona in Sunday’s Clasico, their title defence will be resuscitated.
A victory for Real would narrow the gap to one point with three games to play.
Madrid were left licking their wounds after a Champions League quarterfinal thrashing by Arsenal, and coach Ancelotti is poised to depart at the end of the season, but it could yet be with a major trophy in his hands.
Barcelona’s European dream ended at the hands of Inter Milan on Tuesday, no doubt brightening spirits in the Spanish capital.
With Barcelona’s quadruple dream crushed by Inter, should Madrid defend their title, they could even classify their season as a success.
The Catalans have already secured the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup, both of which they won by beating Real Madrid in the final.
Barcelona were 4-0 winners at Real Madrid in the first El Clasico of the LaLiga season in October.
Robert Lewandowski put the visitors two up early in the second half at Santiago Bernabeu. Lamine Yamal and Raphinha completed the scoring.
Combined with the two cup victories, Barcelona have netted 12 goals across the three games so far.
Barca have conceded only four, with Hansi Flick’s side outplaying Madrid on each occasion.
This FRONT 3… 🔥 pic.twitter.com/TFsqju069J
“We will have a great opportunity, we have to prepare well – it’s an almost decisive match,” said Ancelotti.
Reflecting on the Copa del Rey final, which went to extra time, Ancelotti added, “The last match was competitive, we were very close to winning and I don’t think we have to invent a lot of new things [tactically],” said Ancelotti.
“We have to try and play a serious game, and we will do so with all the confidence in the world.
“Despite all our problems, the fact we are here and we can fight in this match is something beautiful.”
Last weekend against Celta Vigo Ancelotti also afforded Turkish 20-year-old Arda Guler a rare start, and he impressed in midfield, providing impetus which the retired Toni Kroos gave last season, as Madrid won a LaLiga and Champions League double.
Guler also impressed as a substitute in the Copa final and Ancelotti may start him at the Olympic stadium this weekend.
“At Madrid, you have to suck it up on the bench before you become an indisputable start in this team – Arda has the profile of a player who could be a starter at Madrid,” said Ancelotti.
“He sucked it up on the bench, he didn’t get annoyed and he has evolved … he’s not the same Guler from last September.”
A home defeat on Sunday would not be the death knell for their title bid but would ramp up the pressure on Flick’s young, relatively inexperienced charges.
“[We] have to go on, we have five days to prepare and we want to win it,” said the German coach after the loss in Milan in one of the all-time classic Champions League semifinals.
“[This defeat] must wake up the hunger to win the title, this is important for me.”
Barcelona make the short trip to cross-city rivals Espanyol on Thursday before entertaining Villareal next Sunday in their final home fixture of the campaign.
The season finale sees Barca head to Bilbao on May 25, to face Athletic Club, who were knocked out of the Europa League by Manchester United on Thursday.
Real entertain Mallorca on Wednesday before travelling to Seville next Sunday.
Their final game of the season is home to Real Sociedad.
Barcelona defender Jules Kounde is absent with a hamstring injury on Thursday.
Striker Robert Lewandowski returned to the bench against Inter following a leg injury.
Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny will be challenged for a starting place by first-choice keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who is back after a long injury layoff.
Predicted Barcelona XI: Szczesny; Eric, Cubarsi, Martinez, Martin; Pedri, de Jong; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Lewandowski
Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao have been ruled out for the remainder of the season and have been joined on the sidelines by, Eduardo Camavinga, Antonio Rudiger, Ferland Mendy and David Alaba.
Brazilian forward Rodrygo, however, is set to return from illness.
“If you have love and if you are rooted in your beliefs, no fear can shake you.” Palestinian peace activist Mohsen Mahdawi recounted his arrest and imprisonment to Al Jazeera’s Kristen Saloomey, explaining how he is able to keep up his work.
At least 30 people were killed when gunmen attacked travellers in Nigeria’s southeastern Imo State, according to Amnesty International.
The human rights NGO reported on Friday that more than 20 commuter vehicles and trucks were set ablaze during a “vicious attack” along the Okigwe-Owerri road the day before.
The attackers are suspected of being members of the banned separatist group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Amnesty said.
“The attack … shows callous disregard for the sanctity of life. The gunmen blocked Okigwe-Owerri highway and areas of Umuna in Onuimo LGA unleashed violence in an utter show of impunity,” Amnesty wrote on X.
“The Nigerian authorities must immediately and transparently investigate this attack and ensure that the actual perpetrators are brought to justice. International law requires the Nigerian government to promptly investigate unlawful killings to bring perpetrators to justice,” it added.
Amnesty International strongly condemns the vicious attack on travelers yesterday 8 May 2025, along Okigwe-Owerri Road in Imo State, killing at least 30 people and burning over 20 commuter vehicles and trucks.
Imo police spokesperson, Henry Okoye, confirmed that the attack took place in the early hours of Thursday, but declined to comment on the death toll.
On Friday, Okoye told the Reuters news agency that one of the assailants had been killed by the police.
According to a police statement, the gunmen, operating in three groups, blocked the highway at 04:00 GMT and shot sporadically.
“A full-scale search and cordon operation is currently underway, with security operatives combing nearby forests and surrounding areas where the suspects are believed to be hiding,” the police said.
Nigeria’s Premium Times also reported that the police commissioner of Imo State, Aboki Danjuma, led a joint tactical team of security operatives to the scene.
According to Danjuma, the joint security team comprised personnel from Nigeria’s army, the police, and the State Security Service.
The IPOB, which the Nigerian government has classed as an outlawed organisation, has been campaigning for the secession of southeastern Nigeria, where the majority of people belong to the Igbo ethnic group.
The 69-year-old is the first cardinal from US to lead the world’s largest Christian Church.
A new pope has been elected – the first from the United States to lead the Roman Catholic Church.
But the institution is divided between progressives and traditionalists, in a world polarised by conflict and widening political division.
So, what role might Pope Leo XIV play within his church and on the world political stage?
Presenter: James Bays
Guests:
Stan Chu Ilo – Research professor of world Catholicism at DePaul University and president of Pan-African Catholic Network.
Joanne Pierce – Professor emerita at the Department of Religious Studies at College of the Holy Cross