Portal:Current events/May 2014

Armed conflicts and attacks

2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine:
- Pro-Russian militants seize the regional prosecutor's office in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk. (BBC)
- Ukraine announces that it is reintroducing conscription. (Daily Mail)
Islamist insurgency in Nigeria:
- A car bomb attack in the Nigerian capital Abuja kills at least nine people. (BBC)

Arts and cuture

Egypt opens a 3D-printed full-sized exact replica of King Tutankhamun's KV62 tomb in the Valley of the Kings, as officials announce that a 30-day visa purchased at the airport will be two thirds more expensive. (The Guardian) (The Daily Telegraph)

Business and economy

Ford announces that their current chief executive officer, Alan Mulally, will be retiring in July, and that their chief operating officer Mark Fields will be taking his place. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

An explosion on a train in the central railway station in the Indian city of Chennai kills at least one person and injures ten. (NDTV)

Health and environment

The first-ever outbreak of chikungunya in the Caribbean reaches epidemic levels. (Jamaica Observer)

International relations

The People's Republic of China and Russia announce plans to hold joint naval exercises in the East China Sea in late May amid regional tensions about islands and airspace. (AP)

Law and Crime

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams remains in custody in connection with the IRA murder of Jean McConville. (BBC)

May 2, 2014 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War (Siege of Homs):
- A 24-hour ceasefire deal is reached in Syria's city of Homs allowing rebels to withdraw from their last stronghold in the central city. (BBC) (Reuters)
Post-coup unrest in Egypt (Sinai insurgency):
- Attacks by suicide bombers on a security checkpoint and a civilian bus in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula as well as a separate bombing near a courthouse in Cairo killed at least four people. (The Washington Post)
- Two people were shot dead when supporters of deposed President Mohamed Morsi clashed with residents in Alexandria. (Reuters)
At least nine students are killed in protests in Ethiopia's Oromia Region. (BBC)
Security tightens in the People's Republic of China after Wednesday's bombing at a train station left three dead and 79 injured. (Daily Mail)
2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine and the Siege of Sloviansk
- The Armed Forces of Ukraine launch a military operation against separatists in the city of Sloviansk with claims of many deaths and two Ukrainian Army helicopters downed. In the port city of Odessa, violent clashes kill at least 42 people, as pro-Ukrainians set the pro-Russian headquarters on fire. (CNN), (BBC), (Express)

Disasters and accidents

A landslide strikes the town of Hobo Barik in Afghanistan's Badakhshan province with at least 350 people dead and over 2000 people missing. (USA Today), (AP)

Law and crime

Murder of Jean McConville and Arrest of Gerry Adams:
- Sinn Féin claims that party president Gerry Adams is a victim of "political policing" are dismissed by the Taoiseach (Prime Minister of Ireland) Enda Kenny, British prime minister David Cameron and Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson. (Irish Times)
- Helen, the eldest daughter of Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) murder victim Jean McConville, is prepared to name the people responsible for her mother's death, saying she no longer fears reprisals by republicans. (RTE News)

May 3, 2014 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Indian police arrest 29 people after National Democratic Front of Bodoland separatists kill 29 Muslims and burn down homes. (AP via ABC News America)
The Armed Forces of Ukraine resume an offensive near Kramatorsk, as military observers from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe are released after having been held hostage for a week. (Fox News)
Twin explosions are reported in the city of Mombasa, Kenya, with at least three people killed and several injured. (BBC)

Art and culture

The 61st National Film Awards are presented by the President of India to honour the best films of 2013 in Indian cinema.
- Gulzar receives Dadasaheb Phalke Award while Ship of Theseus wins the Best Feature Film award. (Variety)

Disasters and accidents

The death toll from the mudslides in Afghanistan rises to 2,100, with 4,000 people displaced. (ABC)

Health and environment

The first U.S. case of MERS is reported in Munster, Indiana, of someone who travelled to Saudi Arabia. (CNN)

Law and crime

A gunman shoots and kills 3 people and wounds 4 others in Jonesboro, Arkansas, U.S., and then dies. (ABC News)
Murder of Jean McConville and Arrest of Gerry Adams:
- A mural of Sinn Fein Leader Gerry Adams is painted on a wall on the Falls Road, Belfast, as police are granted a further 48 hours to question him about the murder of Jean McConville. (BBC)

Sport

In American horse racing, California Chrome ridden by Victor Espinoza wins the 2014 Kentucky Derby. (Sports Illustrated Fan Sided)

May 4, 2014 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine
- Pro-Russian activists attack the police headquarters in Odessa, forcing the release of several people held over deadly violence two days before. (BBC)

Disasters and accidents

The Government of Afghanistan declares a day of national mourning for the victims of the mudslides. (BBC)
At least eleven people die in China's Guangdong Province when a bridge collapses while being built. (PTI via Business Standard)
A train derailment in the Raigad district of India's Maharashtra state causes at least 19 deaths and 130 people injured. (Reuters)

Law and crime

Murder of Jean McConville and Arrest of Gerry Adams:
- Northern Ireland's First Minister Peter Robinson accuses Sinn Féin of attempting to blackmail the Police Service of Northern Ireland over the arrest of Gerry Adams. (RTE News)
- Sinn Féin President Gerry Adams is released from police custody after four days of questioning over the murder of Jean McConville. (BBC)

Politics

The Sunday Herald becomes the first Scottish newspaper to declare its support for a Yes vote in the forthcoming referendum on Scottish independence. (BBC)
Panamanian general election, 2014
- Voters in Panama go to the polls for a general election. (Fox News Latino)
- Current Vice President Juan Carlos Varela wins the Presidential election. (AP)

May 5, 2014 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine and the Siege of Sloviansk
- A Ukrainian military helicopter patrolling around the eastern city of Sloviansk is shot down; all of the pilots survived and were later rescued. (CNN)
- Neighbouring Ukraine and breakaway Transnistria, Moldova places its borders on alert as the unrest continues. (AP)

Arts and culture

Russian media reveals that President Vladimir Putin secretly signed a decree (No. 279) honoring more than 300 journalists for their "objective coverage" of Crimea's seizure from Ukraine. (Reuters)
Russian actress Tatiana Samoilova dies at age 80. (Moscow Times)

Business and economy

Target announces that their chief executive and chairman, Gregg Steinhafel, has resigned. (BBC)
Advanced Micro Devices expands a licensing agreement with ARM Holdings that may allow AMD to become a more aggressive competitor in the market for chips outside the PC realm. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

Eleven people are missing after a Chinese cargo ship collides with a Marshall Islands registered container ship off the coast of Hong Kong. (The Guardian)
At least two people are dead and 30 missing after two boats carrying illegal immigrants collide in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Greece. (AP via 680 News)

Health

The World Health Organization states that the spread of polio is an international public health emergency. (BBC)(New York Times)
Coca-Cola and PepsiCo said they will remove brominated vegetable oil (BVO) from their drinks. (AP)

Law and crime

The U.S. Supreme Court rules that a practice of beginning legislative sessions with prayers does not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. (Los Angeles Times)
2014 Chibok kidnapping:
- Naomi Mutah Nyadar, the leader of the One Million Women protest in Nigeria over failure to act on the kidnapping of 203 schoolgirls by terrorist group Boko Haram, is reportedly detained on the orders of First Lady of Nigeria Patience Jonathan. (BBC)

May 6, 2014 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine
- Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov rules out any fresh talks in Geneva to defuse the crisis unless pro-Russian groups are also involved. (BBC)

Arts and culture

German art collector Cornelius Gurlitt dies at the age of 81. More than 1400 works, suspected of being looted by the Nazis around World War II, were found in his possession in 2012, including pieces by Picasso and Matisse. (BBC)
Austrian artist Maria Lassnig dies at age 94. (Salzburger Nachrichten)
Monica Lewinsky releases a book recalling her affair with then United States President Bill Clinton. (U.S. News & World Report)

Business and economy

Merck & Co Inc announces plans to sell its consumer business to Bayer AG of Germany for $14 billion. (Reuters)
Office Depot says it will close at least 400 of its U.S. stores. (Reuters)

Law and crime

The Prime Minister of Thailand Yingluck Shinawatra appears before the Thai Constitutional Court to defend herself against charges of abuse of power. (Reuters via DNA India)
Eight additional Nigerian girls are abducted by suspected Boko Haram militants following the Chibok kidnappings. (CNN)
Russian President Vladimir Putin signs into law a bill that bans profanity at arts, cultural and entertainment events. (CNN)
Six people are injured in a knife attack at a Chinese train station in Guangzhou. (BBC)

Politics and elections

An Egyptian court bans top members of the former ruling National Democratic Party of ousted President Hosni Mubarak from running in any future elections. (Al-Ahram) (The Washington Post)

May 7, 2014 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Islamist insurgency in Nigeria:
- At least 125 people are killed in a massacre in Gamboru Ngala, Borno State. (BiharPrabha) (Reuters)
2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine:
- Pro-Russian militants recapture the city hall of the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol hours after the Ukrainian government forces took control of the building from the militants. (BBC)
- Five pro-Russian militants are killed and fifteen more are captured during clashes with the Ukrainian military in the outskirts of the southern city of Mariupol. (CNN)
- Russian President Vladimir Putin says that Ukraine's presidential election on May 25 is a step "in the right direction", calling on anti-Kiev protesters to postpone a May 11 federalization referendum. Putin also added qualifying conditions.(BBC)

Syrian Civil War:
- Rebels withdraw from the besieged city of Homs in accordance with the U.N.-brokered deal between them and the Syrian government. (BBC)

International relations

Vietnamese naval ships and Chinese vessels collide in the South China Sea; the incident occurred while the Vietnamese navy was trying to prevent China from setting up an oil rig in an area to which both nations lay claim. (BBC)

Law and crime

An alleged American FBI agent is arrested in Pakistan for carrying ammunition while trying to board a flight, which is in violation of their anti-terror laws. (BBC)

Politics and elections

The Constitutional Court of Thailand finds that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is guilty of abuse of power when she transferred the National Security Council chief in 2011 and that she cannot remain in office. (ABC News Australia)
South African general election, 2014:
- Voters in South Africa go to the polls for a general election. (The Guardian)
Alan Shatter resigns from the Irish government after scandals over him came out in February. (RTE)
Indian general election, 2014:
- In India over 60 million people vote in 64 constituencies today across 7 states for 16th Lok Sabha. (Times Of India)

Science

Dinosaurs
- The "Pinocchio Rex" (Qianzhousaurus sinensis) is discovered in Ganzhou, China. (National Geographic)
- Argentinosaurus is named as the heaviest species of dinosaur ever while a sparrow-sized Qiliania is named as the smallest. (Reuters)

May 8, 2014 (Thursday)

Armed conflict and attacks

Syrian Civil War
- A large explosion levels the Carlton Hotel in Aleppo which was used as a military base by the Army of Syria as well as several other buildings. (AP via TV New Zealand)
A roadside bomb near the Afghan border in North Waziristan, Pakistan, kills 8 Pakistani soldiers. (Los Angeles Times)
2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine:
- Pro-Russian rebels push forward with plans for a referendum on May 11th ignoring Putin's statement to delay the vote. (BBC)

Business and economy

British bank company Barclays announces that they plan to cut 19,000 jobs over the next 3 years and exit the retail bank market in Western Europe. (Wall Street Journal)
Brazilian oil company Petrobras announces that it plans to cut 8,000 jobs by voluntary dismissal after a significant loss of its economy due to ongoing crisis at its Pasadena Refining System. (GloboNews)

Politics

Thailand's National Anti-Corruption Commission refers former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to face impeachment charges in the Senate over a failed rice subsidy scheme. (AFP via Yahoo UK)

Sport

The National Football League draft begins at Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan. (Cal Bears website)

May 9, 2014 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Yemeni security forces announce that they have killed Shayef Mohammed Saeed Al-Shabwani, an al-Qaeda terrorist wanted over a series of attacks in Sana'a. (CNN)
The government of Iraq launches a large-scale military operation to regain control of Fallujah from anti-government fighters. (CNN)

Arts and culture

2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine:
- On Victory Day, the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory calls on Ukrainians to replace the ribbon of Saint George with a red poppy flower, a symbol that is used in Commonwealth countries on Remembrance Day. (Irish Times) (AFP via Zeenews)

Business and economy

Bloomberg reports that Rupert Murdoch plans to unite various European pay TV entities into a single $14 billion entity. (Bloomberg)

International relations

2014 Crimean crisis:
- Russian President Vladimir Putin visits Crimea for the first time since the annexation, arriving in Sevastopol for Victory Day celebrations. (Wall Street Journal).
- Russia test fired several nuclear delivery systems on the Victory day celebrations and also sent a naval flotilla led by the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov through the English Channel. (spacedaily.com)
North Korea–South Korea relations:
- South Korea's Ministry of National Defense announces that three drones found in their territory came from North Korea. (CNN)

Natural disasters

A 5.0 magnitude earthquake strikes Shaheed Benazir Abad District, Pakistan, killing 1 person and injuring another 70. (AP via NPR)

Politics and elections

Jutta Urpilainen steps down as the Finance Minister of Finland after she was not re-elected as leader of the Social Democratic Party. (AP via Miami Herald)

May 10, 2014 (Saturday)

Politics and elections

The Independent Electoral Commission announces the results of the 2014 South African general election. (M&G)

Arts and culture

Rise Like a Phoenix by Austrian singer Conchita Wurst wins the Eurovision Song Contest. (BBC)

May 11, 2014 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Naxalite–Maoist insurgency
- Seven police commandos are killed in a Naxalite attack in the Indian state of Maharashtra. (Biharprabha News)

Sport

15 football supporters are killed in Kinshasa in a stampede caused by tear gas being thrown into the stand by police officers attempting to defuse a hostile incident. (Radio Okapi)

May 12, 2014 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

A new video released by the Islamist terrorist group Boko Haram claims to show 100 girls they kidnapped last month as they seek a prisoner exchange. (BBC)
Mexican Drug War:
- Galindo Mellado Cruz, one of the founding members of the Mexican drug cartel Los Zetas, and four other armed men are killed in a shootout with Mexican security forces after they raided Cruz's hideout in the city of Reynosa. (BBC)
Post-coup unrest in Egypt:
- Egyptian security forces arrested an alleged member of the Free Syrian Army in Giza's Imbaba. They also seized a number of explosives they claimed would allegedly be used in terror attacks in the country before the upcoming presidential elections. (Al-Ahram)
2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine:
- Pro-Russian insurgents in Donetsk and Luhansk declare the cities independent states whilst on choosing to join Russia after controversial hastily-arranged referendums. (The Washington Post)
Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal)
- 49 people have been killed and 69 wounded in a series of attacks across Iraq including attack by Iraqi security forces on insurgents in Anbar province. (Biharprabha News)

Arts and culture

A Facebook page called "My Stealthy Freedom", in which women across Iran are posting photos of themselves without the hijab, has garnered more than 130,000 likes, a week after it was created. (The Guardian) (BBC)

Business and economy

The European Central Bank has watered down standards for an ongoing review of Europe's banks, waiving deadlines and some data requests, according to a Reuters report based on "sources familiar with the process." (Reuters)
The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 hit record highs. (TIME)

International relations

The European Court of Human Rights orders Turkey to pay $124 million in compensation for the 1974 Turkish invasion of Cyprus, which established the internationally unrecognized state of Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. (Washington Post)

Law and crime

Spanish police arrest a mother and daughter for the suspected shooting of Isabel Carrasco, a León provincial council chief from the ruling Popular Party. (AAP via SBS Australia)

Politics and elections

Indian general election, 2014
- The ninth and final phase of election concluded in India, with an all time high voter turnout of 66.64%, which is overall the highest in the history of Lok Sabha. Final results will be declared on May 16.(Times Of India)

May 13, 2014 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine:
- Valery Bolotov, a leader of the separatist movement in the eastern city of Luhansk, is wounded in an assassination attempt by an unknown assailant. (CNN)
- An insurgent ambush kills six Armed Forces of Ukraine soldiers. (AP via Netscape)
- Another 13 individuals, including Russian President Vladimir Putin's first deputy chief of staff, Vyacheslav Volodin and the self-declared mayor of Sloviansk, Vyacheslav Ponomaryov, and two legal entities are added to the EU sanctions list for "undermining or threatening" Ukraine's sovereignty.(Official Journal)
- The governor of Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast, Serhiy Taruta says his region, with the exception of Slaviansk, is prepared for the May 25 presidential election, calling the separatist referendum nothing more than a "sociological questionnaire". (Kyiv Post)
Central African Republic conflict (2012–present):
- The body of 26-year-old French photojournalist Camille Lepage was found in the Bouar region. The French presidency released a statement saying she was "murdered" and announced that a team of investigators will be dispatched to the scene. (TIME) (The Guardian)
Villagers in the Nigerian Kala/Balge district of Borno State form a vigilante group and successfully repel an attack from the terrorist Islamist group Boko Haram, seizing three cars and a military vehicle and killing around 200 of the militants. (BBC) (CNN)

Arts and culture

Investigators claim to have found the wreck of Christopher Columbus's flagship, the Santa Maria, off the north coast of Haiti. (The Independent)

Disasters and accidents

Soma mine disaster
- At least 238 miners are killed and 120 others trapped in a coal mine in the town of Soma in Turkey's Manisa Province. (BBC), (Biharprabha News)
An apartment block in the North Korean capital Pyongyang containing 100 families collapses. (AFP via The Australian)

International relations

2014 Vietnam anti-China protests:
- Thousands of Vietnamese workers stage anti-China protests in front of factories with Chinese names over Beijing's decision to locate an oil rig in waters of the South China Sea also claimed by Hanoi. (Voice of America

Law and Crime

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has been sentenced to six years jail in a bribery case.(Biharprabha News), (AP)
Post-Iraq War:
- The International Criminal Court will conduct a preliminary examination in the claims that United Kingdom forces abused Iraqi detainees between 2003 and 2008. (BBC)
Four students and another person are injured during a shooting near Therrell High School's campus in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. A 17-year-old suspect is arrested. (FOX News)

Science

Studies published in Geophysical Research Letters and Science find that the West Antarctic ice sheet is irrevocably melting. (The Washington Post) (Science)(Geophysical Research Letters)(New York Times)

May 14, 2014 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen:
- Seven Yemeni Army soldiers and 16 Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula militants are killed in fighting near the town of Azan in Shabwa province. (AP via Daily Mail)
Talks to end the crisis in Ukraine begin, without representatives of pro-Russian separatist groups. (BBC)
Religious violence in India:
- At least three people are killed and 15 injured as a result of violent clashes between two religious communities in the Indian city of Hyderabad. (Biharprabha News)

Disasters and accidents

Soma mine disaster:
- Turkey's Energy Minister Taner Yıldız raises the death toll from the disaster to at least 274, with 120 people still trapped in the mine and 80 miners injured, four seriously. (AP)
2014 California wildfires:
- A number of wildfires destroy properties in Los Angeles and San Diego. (NBC)

International relations

Anti-Chinese protests in southern Vietnam about the People's Republic of China deploying an oil rig in a disputed section of the South China Sea degenerate into the burning of up to 15 foreign-owned factories. (AP, Reuters via The Age), (AP)

Law and crime

A judge in the Oscar Pistorius trial orders the athlete to undertake a mental evaluation. (BBC)
Portuguese authorities charge Luiz Felipe Scolari, the coach of the Brazil national football team, with tax fraud allegedly carried out when he was the coach of Portugal. (AFP via Global Post)

May 15, 2014 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Syrian Civil War:
- A car bomb explodes near the Turkish border, killing at least 29 people and wounding dozens of others. (CNN)
Two Palestinians are reportedly killed by Israeli soldiers at demonstrations near a prison where Palestinian militants are held, the Palestinians were throwing stones and waving flags. (Reuters) (The Times of Israel)
2013–14 Thai political crisis:
- Two people are killed and 21 wounded in an attack on an anti-government protest in Bangkok. (AFP via NDTV)
A group named Turkestan Islamic Party claims the responsibility for the attack on Ürümqi Railway Station in China. (Biharprabha News)

Arts and culture

National September 11 Memorial & Museum:
- First Family Barack and Michelle Obama and numerous political figures visit and dedicate the memorial with the victims on Ground Zero. (PBS)(The New York Times)

Disasters and accidents

Soma mine disaster:
- Several trade unions in Turkey hold a one-day strike in response to the disaster. (BBC)
- Several demonstrations, some of them violent, take place in Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Bursa, Antalya and Diyarbakir in response to the disaster, with police responding to many of the protests with force. (BBC)
- The official death toll for the disaster rises to 282, with up to 150 miners still missing. (BBC)
An oil pipe in Los Angeles broke, spilling an estimated 10,000 gallons of oil in the streets. (BBC)
A ferry sinks on the Meghna River in Bangladesh's Munshiganj District resulting in at least 12 deaths and hundreds missing. (AAP via SBS Australia)

Law and crime

Sinking of the MV Sewol:
- Fifteen crew members of the MV Sewol are charged over the sinking of the MV Sewol off the coast of South Korea with four people including the captain charged with homicide. (AP via New Zealand Herald)
Former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez is charged with two counts of murder in relation to a drive-by shooting in Boston's South End district in July 2012. (New York Daily News)
An eight month pregnant Christian woman, Meriam Yehya Ibrahim, is sentenced to death by hanging for apostasy in Sudan in a case that has drawn widespread international condemnation.(NBC News)

May 16, 2014 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine:
- Pro-Russian rebels quickly withdraw from Mariupol as dozens of unarmed pro-Ukraine steelworkers with some employed by System Capital Management joined by the police start to patrol the city. (U.S. News & World Report)(New York Times)
- The United Nations warns of a deterioration of human rights in eastern Ukraine and the harassment and persecution of the Crimean Tartars in Crimea. (BBC)
10 people are killed in two explosions in the Gikomba market area of the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. (BBC)
Brazilian police clash with protestors angry over the cost of hosting the World Cup in the cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. (BBC)

Arts and culture

American journalist Barbara Walters retires after a 52 year career. (BBC)

Business and economy

2014 General Motors recall:
- The United States government fines General Motors $35 million for their delays in recalling small cars with faulty ignition switches. (BBC)
Darden Restaurants agrees to sell Red Lobster to Golden Gate Capital for US$2.1 billion. (USA Today)

Disasters and accidents

Soma mine disaster:
- Turkish police crackdown on an anti-government demonstration in the town of Soma, firing tear gas and water cannon at thousands of protestors. (BBC)
A Russian Proton-M rocket carrying a communications satellite veers off its intended path and burns up in the atmosphere. (CNN)
San Diego County, California announces that 11 wildfires have burned more than 20,000 acres.
Tens of thousands of people are being evacuated in Serbia and Bosnia as heavy rains cause floods. (ABC)

Politics and elections

Led by Narendra Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party wins a majority in the Indian general election. The incumbent Indian National Congress records its worst ever result. (India Today)
Dr. Robert Petzel resigns as the US Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health following a scandal over long waits for care, treatment delays, and falsification of records at VA hospitals. (Fox News)

Sport

In association football, Paris Saint-Germain F.C. and Manchester City F.C. are fined €60 million by UEFA for breaches of the Fair Play regulations. (France 24)

May 17, 2014 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon, Benin, and Chad join together to combat Boko Haram. (The Guardian)(The New York Times)

Disasters and accidents

A Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force plane creashes carrying twenty people killing the Deputy PM and Defence Minister Douangchay Phichit. (AP via ABC News America), (Bangkok Post)
A landslide in the Dariali Gorge in northeastern Georgia kills at least three people, blocks the Terek River, and disrupts gas supply to Armenia. (Voice of Russia)
Sinking of the MV Miraj-4:
- Officials call off rescue operations as 54 dead bodies recovered with an unknown number of people missing in a ferry disaster in the Meghna River of Bangladesh.(Biharprabha News)

Law and crime

A pregnant Sudanese woman Mariam Yahia Ibrahim Ishag is set to receive 100 lashes for being married to a Christian man and is sentenced to death for refusing to renounce her Christianity causing international outrage. (CNN)

Science

Palaeontologists report that the remains of the largest dinosaur ever discovered have been unearthed in Patagonia, Argentina. (BBC)

Sport

Football
- In Spain, Atlético Madrid draws with FC Barcelona to win the 2013–14 La Liga. (France 24)
- In England, Arsenal defeats Hull City to win the 2014 FA Cup Final. (ITV)
- In Germany, Bayern Munich defeats Borussia Dortmund to win the 2013–14 DFB-Pokal. (L'Équipe)
Horse racing:
- Frankie Dettori wins his 200th group one race riding "Olympic Glory" at the Lockinge Stakes at Newbury, the first time that a Europe-based jockey achieves this milestone. (The Guardian)
- California Chrome wins the 2014 Preakness Stakes, the second leg of the U.S. Triple Crown, run in Baltimore. (Yahoo! Sports)
Auto racing:
- In the 2014 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Jamie McMurray wins the 30th running of the event, his first All-Star victory.

May 18, 2014 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

A group headed by Khalifa Haftar, which includes renegade Libyan general Mokhtar Farnana, launches an attack on the Parliament of Libya. (AP)
A blast hits the northern Nigerian city of Kano. (BBC)

Business and economy

American communications company AT&T Inc. agrees to buy pay television company DirecTV for $48.5 billion. (AP via Politico)

Disasters and accidents

Officials in North Korea report the collapse of a 23-story block of flats that is believed to have killed multiple residents, in a rare public apology. (Al Jazeera)
Soma mine disaster:
- Turkish police arrest 18 people including mining company executives over the disaster which caused the deaths of 301 people. (BBC)
A bus in Fundación, department of Magdalena, Colombia, ignites while transporting children from a religious service, killing 31 children. (TIME)

International relations

2014 Vietnam anti-China protests:
- More than 3,000 Chinese citizens are evacuated from Vietnam, with 2 Chinese killed and more than 100 injured in the riot last week following China drilling for oil in the South China Sea. (Reuters)(CNN)

Politics and elections

Voters in Switzerland resoundingly reject a proposed law change that would have given that country the world's highest minimum wage. (AP)

Sport

Professional golfer Adam Scott takes over Tiger Woods' No. 1 spot in the Official World Golf Ranking. (Golf.com)
In basketball, Maccabi Tel Aviv wins its sixth Euroleague championship. Euroleague Official Website
In football, River Plate defeats Quilmes 5-0 to secure its 35th championship in the Argentine Primera División. (Reuters via Yahoo Sport)

May 19, 2014 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Two Chinese workers are kidnapped from a controversial copper mine in Burma by activists. (AP)
2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine:
- Russia's President Vladimir Putin says he ordered troops in the Rostov, Belgorod and Bryansk regions to withdraw and return to their permanent bases. (BBC)
- NATO secretary general, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, says the Western allies had not seen any sign of a withdrawal of Russian forces. (Kyiv Post)(New York Times)

Business and economy

AstraZeneca rejects the latest, and likely the last, takeover price from Pfizer, close to 70 billion pounds or US$118 billion. (Reuters)

Disasters and accidents

Sinking of the MV Sewol:
- Park Geun-Hye, the President of South Korea, announces that the Republic of Korea Coast Guard will be broken up in the wake of the ferry disaster. (BBC)
An apartment building collapses in Pyongyang, North Korea, with casualties estimated to be in the hundreds. (CNN) (The Guardian)
An electrical problem causes an explosion south of Seoul in Seoul Metropolitan Subway Gunpo station, injuring 11 people. (AP via Yahoo! News)

International relations

China–United States relations:
- The United States Department of Justice charges five Chinese military officers with hacking into private-sector American companies in a bid for competitive advantage. (BBC)
Saudi Arabia closes its embassy in Tripoli over security concerns in Libya. (Chicago Tribune)

Politics and elections

Same-sex marriage in Oregon becomes legal as a U.S. federal district court judge rules that the state's ban on such marriages violates equal protection rights under the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution.(The Oregonian)

Law and crime

An Egyptian court acquits 169 Muslim Brotherhood members for charges relating to unrest that followed the ousting of former Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi. (Reuters)
Radical cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri has been found guilty of supporting terrorism. (BBC)

May 20, 2014 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine:
- Ukrainian billionaire Rinat Akhmetov asks workers to stage a peace rally in the Donetsk region in protest against the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic. (Interfax) (The Moscow Times)
Two explosions occur near a crowded market in the Nigerian city of Jos killing at least 118 people. (BBC), (AFP via Yahoo News Singapore)
Shia insurgency in Yemen
- At least 16 people are killed in clashes between Shi'ite Muslim tribesmen and Yemeni government forces and allied Sunni tribesmen. (Reuters)

Business and economy

American car maker General Motors recalls another 2.4 million vehicles. (AP via Breitbart)
Credit Suisse pleads guilty to helping American citizens evade taxes and agrees to a US$2.6 billion fine. (Washington Post)
A truck going from Florida to Maine carrying about 1.5 to 2 million bees crashes.(Bangor Daily News)

Disasters and accidents

At least 17 people are killed and 27 injured after a bus plunges into a gorge in India's Jammu and Kashmir state. (Times of India)
Russian media reports that a passenger train has collided with a derailed freight train near Moscow killing at least six people. (BBC)
The United States Coast Guard resumes its search for four British sailors lost in the mid-Atlantic. (BBC)

Arts and culture

Singer-songwriter Josh Kaufman becomes the Season 6 winner on NBC's The Voice as a member of Usher's team. (USA Today)

International relations

The President of Russia Vladimir Putin arrives in the People's Republic of China for a state visit. (BBC)

Law and crime

American actor Michael Jace is arrested in relation to the shooting death of his wife in Los Angeles. (AFP via Melbourne Age)
Three female children, ages 2 months to 3 years, are stabbed to death at a home in Torrance, California, U.S. The children's mother is arrested and charged with murder. (CNN)

Politics and elections

2013–14 Thai political crisis:
- The Royal Thai Army declares martial law after six months of political unrest. (The Guardian)
Narendra Modi is officially re-elected as the leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the National Democratic Alliance ahead of being sworn in as the Prime Minister of India. (Indian Express)
Malawian general election:
- Voters in Malawi go to the polls for a general election. (BBC)

Sport

In basketball, the NBA team known as the Charlotte Bobcats since 2004 officially changes its name to the Charlotte Hornets. The team also reclaims the history and records of the franchise now known as the New Orleans Pelicans starting with the 1988–89 season and ending with 2001–02, a period in which that franchise played as the Charlotte Hornets. (AP via ESPN)

May 21, 2014 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2014 Libyan uprising:
- General Khalifa Belqasim Haftar calls on the government to hand over power to the country's top judges amid heavy fighting in the capital Tripoli. (Reuters)
- Prime Minister Ahmed Maiteeq refuses to step down while the Ministry of Defense issues a statement calling for the arrest of any soldiers who join Gen. Haftar’s campaign. (The Washington Post)
War in North-West Pakistan:
- Pakistan Air Force fighter jets bomb suspected militant hideouts in North Waziristan, killing approximately 60 militants and injuring another 30. (Reuters)
The Taliban launch attacks in Badakhshan and Laghman provinces in Afghanistan, killing 10 policemen and 3 civilians. (AP via ABC)
Boko Haram attacks the village of Alagarno, in Nigeria's Borno State, killing 17 people. (BBC)
The Republic of Korea Navy fires warning shots at 3 Korean People's Navy patrol boats after they violated South Korean waters. (CNN)
Israeli-Palestinian conflict:
- Defence for Children International publishes a video showing two Palestinians allegedly killed by Israeli soldiers during a demonstration that became violent.(The Guardian)(New York Times)
2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine:
- Graham Phillips, a British national and reporter for the Russian TV network RT, is detained in Mariupol by the SBU. (BBC)

Business and economics

General Motors announces that it is recalling 218,000 older model Chevrolet Aveos due to a fire hazard. (Reuters)
eBay forces its users to change their passwords after a database containing encrypted user passwords and other non-financial data is compromised by a cyber-attack. (BBC)

International relations

Sino-Russian relations:
- Xi Jinping and Vladimir Putin sign a massive 30-year natural gas export contract worth $400 billion. (USA Today)
2014 Vietnam anti-China protests:
- The death toll has risen to 6 as anti-China riots continue in Vietnam over oil rich islands in the South China Sea. China has sent ships to evacuate 3000 citizens from Vietnam. (Reuters)

Law and crime

2014 Taipei Metro Attack:
- A knife attack on a Taipei Metro train leaves at least 4 dead and 21 passengers injured. (Focus Taiwan) (AP via Washington Post)
An Egyptian court sentences 155 members of the Muslim Brotherhood to prison, including 54 life sentences. (Reuters)
Former President of Egypt Hosni Mubarak is sentenced to three years in jail for embezzlement. (BBC)
Six Iranians that were arrested have been released in Tehran after releasing a fan video set to Pharrell Williams' "Happy", sparking outcries over the internet. (CNN)
Ten men convicted for producing poisoned alcohol that killed more than 30 people in 2012 have been sentenced to prison by a court in the Czech Republic, including 2 life sentences. (BBC)

Politics and elections

Guinea-Bissau general election, 2014:
- Former Guinea-Bissau Finance Minister José Mário Vaz is elected President of Guinea-Bissau. (Reuters via Yahoo! News)

Sport

Sacramento, California, approves a new arena, worth $447 million, for the Sacramento Kings. (AP via Los Angeles Times)
England wins the 2014 UEFA European Under-17 Championship, beating Netherlands on penalties after a 1-1 draw. (UEFA)

May 22, 2014 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine:
- At least 11 Ukrainian Army soldiers are killed and 30 injured when pro-Russian separatists attack a military checkpoint. (AP via Time)
- Luhansk People's Republic in eastern Ukraine declares martial law and asks Russia to send peacekeeping troops to protect civilians. (Kyiv Post)
- The unrecognised Federal State of New Russia confederation is declared and agreements were signed between leaders of two self-proclaimed republics.(Ukrainian Policy)(Voice of Russia)
Korean maritime border incidents:
- South Korean media claims that North Korea fired shells in a disputed area near a Republic of Korea Navy ship. (BBC)
May 2014 Ürümqi attack:
- An explosion occurs in the city of Ürümqi, the capital of China's far-western Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, resulting in at least 31 deaths and 91 injuries. (BBC) (RTE)

Business and economics

Marathon Oil agrees to buy Hess Corporation's retail gas stations for $2.87 billion. (AP via ABC)
Anglo-Dutch consumer goods company Unilever agrees to sell the brands Ragú and Bertolli to Japanese sauce producer Mizkan for $2.15 billion. (Bloomberg)
Nest Labs announces plans to recall 440,000 smoke alarms to fix a problem that could cause the alarms to not go off immediately after detecting smoke. (AP via ABC)

International relations

Prime Minister of Vietnam Nguyễn Tấn Dũng says that his government is considering legal action against China over an oil rig that was deployed in waters that Vietnam claims. (Reuters)
Negotiations between Iran and Russia regarding the building of two additional nuclear reactors at Iran's Bushehr power plant take place. (Reuters)

Law and crime

A massive law enforcement operation in New York City, United States, and the surrounding areas leads to 71 arrests for child pornography offenses. (Al Jazeera)
The Dominican senate unanimously approves a bill which will set up a system to grant citizenship to Dominican-born children of immigrants. (BBC)
Activision Blizzard files papers with a California court, calling for unidentified programmers that created cheats for Starcraft II to be made to compensate them for copyright infringement. (BBC)

Politics and elections

European Parliament election, 2014:
- Voters in the European Union go to the polls for a multi-day European Parliamentary election. Voters in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands vote today. (Debating Europe), (European Union)
2013–14 Thai political crisis:
- Thailand's army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha announces a coup d'état, saying the military is taking control of government. (BBC)
United Kingdom local elections, 2014
- Voters in the United Kingdom go to the polls for local elections with the United Kingdom Independence Party making strong gains. (BBC)

Science and technology

The International Institute for Species Exploration announces the "Top 10 New Species" of 2013. (Red Orbit)

Sport

In cricket, former New Zealand player Lou Vincent and Pakistan A team player Naveed Arif are charged with match fixing while playing for Sussex County Cricket Club in 2011. (New Zealand Newswire via Yahoo 7 sport)

May 23, 2014 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Sinai insurgency:
- Egyptian security forces claim to have killed Shadi el-Menei, the leader of Ansar Bait al-Maqdis, and three other senior members in overnight fighting. (Sky News)
Taliban insurgency:
- Gunmen attack the Indian consulate in Afghanistan's Herat Province. (CNN)
May 2014 Ürümqi attack:
- Chinese media reports that five people involved in the Ürümqi bombings "blew themselves up". (BBC)
2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine:
- Russian President Vladimir Putin announces that he will respect the outcome of Ukraine's presidential election. (BBC)
Syrian Civil War
- Syrian TV reports that 39 people have been killed and 205 injured as a result of a mortar attack on a pro-Assad rally. (Canadian Press via Penicton Herald)

International relations

Russia and China veto a U.N. Security Council resolution that would have asked the International Criminal Court to investigate war crimes in Syria. (CNN)

Law and crime

A Hubei court finds Chinese tycoon Liu Han, the former head of the conglomerate Hanlong Group, guilty of "organising and leading mafia-style crime and murder" and "obtain[ing] financial gains via illegal activities", sentencing him to death. (BBC)
2014 Isla Vista shootings. Seven people have been killed and seven injured in a series of drive-by shootings in a student enclave next to the University of California campus in the American city of Santa Barbara, California. (AP via Yahoo News)

Politics and elections

European Parliament election, 2014:
- Voters in the European Union go to the polls for a multi-day European Parliamentary election. Voters in Ireland and the Czech Republic vote today. (Deutsche Welle)
2014 Thai coup d'état:
- Royal Thai Army chief and coup leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha detains former Prime Minister of Thailand Yingluck Shinawatra after summoning her for talks a day after the coup. (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
Barack Obama nominates Julian Castro, the Mayor of San Antonio, to become the next Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. (AP via Fox News)

Science

Research shows that the Chelyabinsk meteor was the remnants of an asteroid that collided with another asteroid 290 million years before entering the Earth's atmosphere over Russia in February of last year. (Reuters via ABC News Australia)

May 24, 2014 (Saturday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen:
- At least 27 people are killed in an al-Qaeda raid on the town of Seyoun in Hadramout province. (Reuters via Trust)
War in Somalia (2009–present):
- An al-Shabaab-led assault at the Parliament of Somalia in Mogadishu leaves at least 10 dead, including police and militants. (BBC) (IANS via Biharprabha)
Islamist insurgency in Nigeria:
- Boko Haram militants rampage through three villages in northern Nigeria killing 28 people. (Reuters)

Arts and culture

Turkish film Winter Sleep directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan wins the Palme d'Or at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. (France 24)

Disasters and accidents

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake occurs in the Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey with reports of serious damage on the Turkish island of Gökçeada and the cities of Edirne and Çanakkale. (World Bulletin)

International relations

Pope Francis arrives in Amman, Jordan, for the first day of a three day trip to the Middle East. (AP)

Law and crime

Mahafarid Amir Khosravi is executed for masterminding the largest fraud case in Iran since the 1979 Revolution. (AP via USA Today)
At least 3 people are killed in a shooting at the Jewish Museum of Belgium in Brussels, Belgium. (BBC)
2014 Isla Vista killings: The suspected gunman in the May 23 spree killing in Santa Barbara, California, is named as Elliot Rodger. (BBC)
2014 Thai coup d'état:
- The Thai military arrests 35 more individuals, including prominent academics. (BBC)

Politics and elections

European Parliament election:
- Voters in the European Union go to the polls for a multi-day European Parliamentary election. Voters in Latvia, Malta, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic vote today. (Sofia Globe)
Jacob Zuma is sworn in for a second term as President of South Africa following his recent election victory. (BBC)
Malawian general election:
- The President of Malawi Joyce Banda annuls the general elections in which she was a candidate because of claimed electoral irregularities. (BBC)
2014 Thai coup d'état:
- The military leaders announce the dissolution of the Thai Senate. (Al Jazeera)

Science

North America experiences a meteor shower. (WRIC-TV)

Sport

In football, Real Madrid defeat Atlético Madrid by a score of 4-1 in extra time in the 2014 UEFA Champions League Final played at Lisbon's Estádio da Luz. (BBC), (AFP via Yahoo! sports)
In rugby union, Toulon defeat Saracens 23–6 in the last-ever Heineken Cup final, successfully defending their title from last season. (ESPN Scrum)
In mixed martial arts, T.J. Dillashaw defeats Renan Barão to become the Bantamweight champion. (ESPN)

May 25, 2014 (Sunday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Al-Qaeda insurgency in Yemen:
- The Yemeni Military kills 5 al-Qaeda militants and arrests 4 in a raid north of Sana'a. (Reuters via Voice of America)
Syrian Civil War:
- 3 bombs detonate in Homs, Syria, killing 9 people and injuring another 20. (Xinhua via Global Post)
3 Spanish airmen are injured in a grenade attack in Djibouti. (AP via Washington Post)

Disasters and accidents

Heavy flooding in Guangdong, China, leaves 15 people dead and 5 more missing. (PTI via Times of India)

International relations

Pope Francis invites the President of Israel Shimon Peres and the President of the State of Palestine Mahmoud Abbas to pray with him at the Vatican for peace and the invitations are accepted. (AP via Washington Post)

Law and crime

Lebanese security forces arrest Islamist militant leader Omar Bakri Muhammad. (Reuters via Voice of America)

Politics and elections

Colombian presidential election, 2014:
- Voters in Colombia go to the polls for the first round in the presidential election. Opposition candidate Óscar Iván Zuluaga wins a plurality of votes and will face the incumbent Juan Manuel Santos in the second round. (Reuters)
Ukrainian presidential election, 2014:
- Voters in Ukraine go to the polls for the first round of voting in the presidential election amidst ongoing violence in the east of the country with exit polls indicating that businessman Petro Poroshenko is headed for victory. (Sydney Morning Herald), (Washington Post)
European Parliament election, 2014:
- Voters in 21 member states of the European Union go to the polls on the final day of voting. Far right, hard left^{[clarification needed]} and Eurosceptic parties have performed strongly aided by a weak turnout. (BBC), (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
Belgian federal election, 2014 and Belgian regional elections, 2014:
- Voters go to the polls to elect the members of the federal and regional parliaments, simultaneously with the European election. The country faces protracted negotiations on forming a federal government as Flemish nationalist N-VA wins in Flanders while the Socialist Party of Prime Minister Di Rupo remains the largest in Wallonia.(The Conversation), (AP via the Republic)
Lithuanian presidential election, 2014:
- Voters in Lithuania go to the polls with incumbent Dalia Grybauskaitė winning re-election in the second round. (AP via Washington Post)
Greek local elections, 2014
- Greece votes in European and second-round local elections (Euronews)
Former communist leader of Poland from 1981 to 1989, Wojciech Jaruzelski dies at age 90. (AP via The Australian)

Sports

In badminton:
- Japan won the Thomas Cup for the first time after defeating Malaysia, while China defended the Uber Cup after defeating Japan.
In motorsport:
- Jimmie Johnson wins the 2014 Coca-Cola 600, ending the longest winless stretch to begin a NASCAR Sprint Cup season he has ever had, while Kurt Busch's attempt to be the second driver ever to complete both the 600 and the Indianapolis 500 in the same day is ended by an engine failure. (ESPN)
- Ryan Hunter-Reay wins the 2014 Indianapolis 500, becoming the first American to win the race since 2006. (Fox News)
- Nico Rosberg wins the 2014 Monaco Grand Prix. (ESPN (UK))
In football:
- Japan wins the 2014 AFC Women's Asian Cup defeating Australia 1-0 in the final. (ABC News Australia)
- Landon Donovan of the Los Angeles Galaxy breaks the career goal scoring record in US Major League Soccer. (USA Today)
In ice hockey, Russia defeats Finland 5-2 in the final of the 2014 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships. (ESPN)
In baseball, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Josh Beckett pitches the first no-hitter of the 2014 Major League Baseball season against the Philadelphia Phillies. (USA Today)

May 26, 2014 (Monday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine
- Pro-Russian militants force the closure of Donetsk International Airport a day after preventing any voters in the city of Donetsk from casting a vote in the Ukrainian presidential election. (Reuters via Chicago Tribune)
- The Ukrainian Air Force conducts airstrikes on Donetsk International Airport while paratroopers drop in to fight pro-Russian separatists. (Irish Times)
2014 Chibok kidnapping
- Air Marshal Alex Barde, the Nigeria head of defense, tells protesters in Abuja that the military knows where the 300 girls kidnapped by Boko Haram are but are reluctant to rescue them due to the fear of having them killed. (AP)
Islamist insurgency in Nigeria:
- Islamist terror group Boko Haram kills at least 33 security personnel during attacks in Nigeria's northeastern Yobe State. (CNN)

Business and economics

Drugmaker Pfizer says it will not proceed with its attempted $119 billion bid for AstraZeneca. (AP via News 24)

Disasters and accidents

At least 25 people are killed and 100 injured as a passenger train rams into a goods train in Uttar Pradesh, India.(NDTV) (IANS via Biharprabha)
At least seven people have been killed and twenty injured following a fire in a bus terminal north of Seoul in the South Korean city of Goyang. (Yonhap)
At least 26 people are dead and 10 missing since Wednesday as storms hit southern and central China. (ABC News Australia)

Politics and elections

2014 Thai coup d'état
- Coup leader Prayuth Chan-ocha claims to have the confidence of King of Thailand Bhumibol Adulyadej. (AP via Yahoo!)
Shri Narendra Modi is sworn in as the 15th Prime Minister of India. (IBN)
Egyptian presidential election, 2014
- Voters in Egypt go to the polls in the first of a two day voting period with Field Marshal Abdel Fattah el-Sisi expected to be elected. (AP via Yahoo! News)

May 27, 2014 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine:
- At least thirty pro-Russian separatists have died in fighting over control of Donetsk International Airport; the Ukrainian government claims to have total control of the airport following the clashes with the separatists. (BBC)
- The newly elected President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko vows to continue Kiev's anti-terrorist operation against pro-Russian militants in the east. (BBC)
Syrian Civil War:
- Eleven people, including six members of a United Nations Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons fact finding mission, are attacked near Hama in central Syria. (AP via Washington Post) (BBC)
War in Afghanistan (2001–present):
- Barack Obama, the President of the United States, announces that 9,800 U.S. troops will stay in Afghanistan for a year after the withdrawal of combat troops in December. (Washington Post)
An American doctor, Mehdi Ali Qamar, is shot and killed in Pakistan by unknown assailants on motorbikes. (CNN)
Iraqi Insurgency
- At least 35 people killed, 70 injured in bomb attacks in Baghdad and Anbar Province of Iraq. (IANS via Biharprabha)
Opposition in Georgia's breakaway Abkhazia takes over the government headquarters, forcing President Alexander Ankvab to flee the capital, Sukhumi. (BBC News) (Financial Times)

Business and economics

The president of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, says that the ECB is conscious of the dangers of too low a level of inflation and it has the weapons necessary to get back to the target rate. (Reuters)
Pfizer announces plans to release an over-the-counter version of heartburn medication Nexium. (KRON)

Disasters and accidents

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370:
- Malaysia's Department of Civil Aviation and British satellite firm Inmarsat release the raw data used to determine the estimated path of missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. (The Star Malaysia)

International relations

Haiyang Shiyou 981 standoff:
- Vietnam and China trade accusations over an incident in the South China Sea that led to the sinking of a Vietnamese fishing boat yesterday. (AP via Fox News)

Law and crime

Disgraced former New South Wales Police officer Roger Rogerson is arrested over the alleged murder of student Jamie Gao in Sydney last week. (WA Today)
A Pakistani woman is stoned to death with bricks outside a courthouse by family members including her father, two brothers, and ex-fiancé for marrying a man she loved against the family's wishes. (JPost via Reuters)

Politics and elections

Egyptian presidential election, 2014:
- The Government of Egypt declares the final day of voting in the election to be a public holiday to encourage turnout. (AP via Yahoo! News)
The White House accidentally reveals the name of the CIA's top intelligence official in Afghanistan to approximately 6,000 journalists during U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Bagram Airfield. (CNN)

Science

Scientists announce the discovery of a remote mire the size of England in the Republic of the Congo. (BBC)

May 28, 2014 (Wednesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Gunmen attack the home of Tunisia's top security official Lotfi Ben Jeddou resulting in the death of 4 police officers. (AP via Miami Herald)
2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine:
- Ramzan Kadyrov, Head of the Chechen Republic, insists he has not sent troops to Ukraine to fight alongside pro-Russia separatists. (BBC)
A split emerges in the Pakistani Taliban after the Mehsud faction walked out, saying the group leaders' tactics were "un-Islamic". (BBC)
At least 11 people are killed in an attack on a church by the Séléka militia group in the city of Bangui in the Central African Republic. (BBC)

Business and economy

Apple Inc. confirms that it will buy Beats Electronics for $3 billion. (Biz Journals)

Disasters and accidents

A fire at the Hyosarang hospital, a hospital for the elderly in South Korea's Jangseong County, kills at least 21 people and injures 7. (Bloomberg via Business Week)

Law and crime

French police raid a camp site in the port city of Calais containing 800 migrants from Asia, Africa and the Middle East. (BBC)
Dutch authorities approve the extradition of high-ranking Sinaloa Cartel leader José Rodrigo Aréchiga Gamboa (alias "El Chino Ántrax") to the United States. (Milenio)

Politics and elections

Egyptian presidential election, 2014:
- Voting in Egypt continues for an unscheduled third day due to concerns about low turnout. Official results show former military chief Abdul Fattah al-Sisi headed for a massive victory with 92% of the vote. (BBC) (BBC) (AP)
US President Barack Obama announces a $5 billion "terrorism partnership fund" to help other countries tackle extremists. (BBC)

May 29, 2014 (Thursday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine:
- Rebels in the eastern Ukrainian city of Slovyansk say they are holding four missing Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe monitors and the observers may be released soon. (BBC) (AP via Yahoo! News)
- A Ukrainian military helicopter is shot down over Sloviansk, with 12 casualties reported, including major-general Serhij Kultschyzkyj (de). (BBC)
- Pro-Russian group |Vostok Battalion seize control of the headquarters of the Donetsk Peoples Republic in a coup d'état, plunging the rebels into chaos. (Telegraph)

Arts and culture

87th Scripps National Spelling Bee
- Two Indian-American teenagers Sriram Hathwar of Painted Post, New York, and Ansun Sujoe of Fort Worth, Texas, share the title after tying in the final round. (AP)

Business and economy

Economy Minister Axel Kicillof of Argentina reaches an agreement with the Paris Club of creditor nations on debt repayment totaling $9.7 billion including interest, over the next five years. (Reuters)
The heads of Russia, Kazakhstan, and Belarus sign a treaty forming the Eurasian Economic Union. (TIME)

Disasters and accidents

Malaysia Airlines Flight 370:
- The Australian Transport Safety Bureau reports that they have finished searching an area where pings were heard in April and have discounted it as the final resting place for the plane. (Reuters)
An oil tanker is listing off the coast of Japan's Hyogo prefecture after an explosion and subsequent fire. Seven of the eight crew on board have been rescued while the captain is missing. (AFP via Global Post)

Health and environment

A report sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and published online by the Lancet finds that 30% of the world's population is overweight or obese. (AP via Times of India)
Medical teams from the World Health Organisation and Doctors Without Borders arrive in Sierra Leone to deal with an outbreak of Ebola virus. (BBC)

Law and Crime

A court in Ecuador sentences former president Jamil Mahuad to 12 years in jail on embezzlement charges. (IANS via Biharprabha)

May 30, 2014 (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

Islamist insurgency in Nigeria
- Islamist terror group Boko Haram abduct two prominent traditional rulers from Borno State in Nigeria. (IANS via Biharprabha)
United States State Department makes its first confirmation that a U.S. citizen has been "involved" in a suicide bombing as part of Syria's ongoing civil war. (ABC News)

Disasters and accidents

Indonesia's Sangeang Api volcano erupts disrupting flights in Indonesia and northern Australia. (Sydney Daily Telegraph)
At least nine people are killed and over a dozen injured when a storm hits the Indian capital New Delhi. (AAP via SBS)
An earthquake in China's Yunnan province injures at least 45 people and forces thousands to relocate. (AP via USA Today)

Law and crime

The Wall Street Journal reports that the FBI and SEC have launched an insider trading investigation involving billionaire investor Carl Icahn, Las Vegas gambler and investor Billy Walters, and golf superstar Phil Mickelson. No wrongdoing has yet been alleged. (ESPN)

Politics and elections

Presidency of Barack Obama
- Eric Shinseki resigns as the United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs due to a scandal over the Veterans Health Administration. (AFP via Y!7 News)
- Jay Carney announces his resignation as White House Press Secretary next month with Josh Earnest to replace him. (The Hill)
Malawian general election, 2014
- Opposition candidate Peter Mutharika is declared the winner of the disputed presidential election. (BBC)

Sport

In basketball, the NBA announces that it has approved the US$2 billion bid of former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer for the Los Angeles Clippers. The sale must still be approved by the league's owners, and banned Clippers owner Donald Sterling has filed a $1 billion lawsuit against the NBA. The sale price far exceeds the previous NBA record of $550 million paid for the Milwaukee Bucks earlier this year. (ESPN)
The Palestine national football team defeat The Philippines to win the 2014 AFC Challenge Cup, qualifying for the AFC Asian Cup for the first time. (The AFC)

May 31, 2014 (Saturday)