On May 22, 2025, medical sources reported that at least 93 people have been killed in Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip since dawn. Overnight attacks on May 21 included a strike on a warehouse in Deir el-Balah housing displaced Palestinians, killing at least nine people. On May 21, at least 52 people were killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza, where Israeli air strikes and tank fire continued to pound the besieged territory. On May 20, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel will control the entire Gaza Strip at the end of its latest offensive.

On May 21, 2025, Israeli forces fired "warning" shots towards foreign diplomats visiting the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, drawing international condemnation. A diplomatic delegation from the European Union, Arab and Asian nations came under Israeli fire while visiting the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. Multiple governments and officials condemned the act and demanded explanations and investigations.

On May 21, 2025, two staff members of Israel’s embassy in the United States were shot and killed in an attack outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC. Police have arrested Elias Rodriguez of Chicago, Illinois, who reportedly chanted, “Free, free, Palestine,” while in custody. President Trump condemned the killing, attributing it to anti-Semitism.

Moody’s downgraded the credit rating of the United States from Aaa to Aa1 last week due to concerns over its $36 trillion debt pile and rising interest costs, according to a report published on May 22, 2025. 16 percent (or $684bn) of tax revenues were used to cover debt interest payments this year. White House spokesman Kush Desai criticized Moody’s downgrade, stating they were silent during the "fiscal disaster" of the past four years under President Joe Biden’s leadership and characterized the downgrade as politically motivated.

On May 21, 2025, Oman confirmed that a fifth round of nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran will take place in Rome on Friday. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said that his country does not need US permission to enrich uranium. Tensions began to ease in May 2025 as the US and Iran began to hold talks mediated by Oman.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said air defences shot down 105 Ukrainian drones over Russian regions, including 35 over the Moscow region, according to a report published on May 22, 2025. The ministry had reported downing more than 300 Ukrainian drones the day before.

Kherson Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said one person was killed in a Russian artillery attack on the region, according to a report published on May 22, 2025. Over the past day, 35 areas in Kherson, including Kherson city, came under artillery shelling and air attacks, wounding 11 people.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy said the “most intense situation” is in the Donetsk region, and the army is continuing “active operations in the Kursk and Belgorod regions”, according to a report published on May 22, 2025.

The Kremlin rejected Ukrainian and European accusations that it was stalling peace talks, saying it plans to name its conditions for a ceasefire without a timeframe, according to a report published on May 22, 2025.

Poland said its military intervened after a ship from the Russian “shadow fleet” was seen performing suspicious manoeuvres near a power cable connecting Poland with Sweden, according to a report published on May 22, 2025.

Zelenskyy said he had spoken by phone to NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, and that they had discussed joint steps and the need to put pressure on Russia to secure “a just peace”, according to a report published on May 22, 2025.

Ukraine’s allies, including the US and UK, issued an advisory warning of a Russian cyber campaign targeting logistics and tech firms involved in delivering foreign assistance to Ukraine, according to a report published on May 22, 2025.

As of May 21, 2025, the United Kingdom has suspended talks with Israel on a free trade deal, and the European Union said it will review a pact on political and economic ties over the “catastrophic situation” in Gaza. Britain, France and Canada have threatened “concrete actions” if Israel continues its offensive.

Indian security forces have launched an all-out war against Maoist fighters in Chhattisgarh state, with more than 10,000 soldiers deployed in "Operation Zero or Kagar". At least 27 rebels were killed on Wednesday, including the leader of the Maoists. The right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has drastically escalated security operations, killing at least 201 Maoist rebels this year.

On May 22, 2025, Amit Shah, home minister, stated that India is sure to be Naxal-free by 31 March 2026.

On May 22, 2025, Kim Jong Un reprimanded officials after a "serious accident and criminal act" damaged a newly built 5,000-tonne warship in Chongjin, North Korea, during its launch ceremony. He ordered the damaged warship to be repaired by the time of the Workers’ Party of Korea's central committee plenary meeting in June, emphasizing its restoration as a critical political issue; target date for repair is 2025-06-01.

Netanyahu outlined conditions for ending the war on May 21, 2025: the release of all captives, the disarmament of Hamas, the exile of its leadership and the possibility of carrying on a plan outlined by United States President Donald Trump in February that would expel Palestinians from Gaza. Critics reacted to Netanyahu’s news conference. Opposition leader Yair Lapid said his “words today mean the occupation of Gaza for many years and waking up every day to the death of soldiers”.

On May 21, 2025, the Israeli army said it allowed 100 aid trucks carrying flour, baby food and medical equipment into Gaza. On May 20, Israel began allowing dozens of humanitarian trucks into Gaza, but the aid has not yet reached Palestinians. Reports indicated that only five trucks had made it into Gaza, suggesting systematic obstruction of aid. Pope Leo appealed for Israel to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas urged world leaders to end Israel’s siege on Gaza.

On May 21, 2025, protesters demonstrated in Rotterdam, Netherlands, against the arrival of a ship reportedly carrying F-35 components bound for Israel; the report was published on May 22, 2025.

On May 22, 2025, a group of former Columbia students destroyed their diplomas to denounce the university’s crackdown on protests against Israel’s war on Gaza.

Official figures indicate that more than 11,000 civilians and security forces have been killed in clashes involving Maoist fighters between 2000 and 2024. Security forces claimed to have killed 223 alleged Maoists in 2024 alone, according to government figures; reports published on May 22, 2025.

Legislators from the European Union are expected to greenlight tariffs on fertiliser imports from Russia, according to a report published on May 22, 2025.

A United States Senate bill to pressure Russia with new sanctions over the war gained the support of more than 80 members of both parties, according to a report published on May 22, 2025.

On May 21, 2025, it was reported that companies are starting to feel the impact of President Trump’s tariffs, especially the 30 percent tax on Chinese goods, and are considering raising prices. Mattel, Ford Motor, Amazon and Apple’s chief executive, Tim Cook, have faced President Trump's ire regarding tariffs.

On May 21, 2025, it was reported that a Republican bill is poised to reignite international tax and trade wars, potentially leading to retaliatory taxes on foreign companies operating in the U.S. Canadian finance minister François-Philippe Champagne addressed U.S. concerns over Canada’s digital services taxes, stating that every country is sovereign in determining their tax policy. The looming tax fight is expected to be a topic of discussion as finance ministers from the Group of 7 nations gather in Canada for three days of meetings this week.

On May 21, 2025, Laurene Powell Jobs, the founder of Emerson Collective, cut just under 30 employees at Emerson Collective, in one of the first widespread layoffs at the philanthropy since she founded it 14 years ago. Emerson Collective said that the causes for the “realignment” were solely financial conditions and that political considerations played no role.

On May 21, 2025, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled that the government’s decision to fire domestic security chief Ronen Bar was “unlawful” due to an improper process and Netanyahu's conflict of interest.

On May 21, 2025, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the United States is reviewing whether to designate Afghanistan’s rulers, the Taliban, as a “foreign terrorist organization”.

On May 21, 2025, nytimes.com reported that The Chicago Sun-Times published an A.I.-generated reading list that recommended nonexistent books.