Sunday, May 12th, 2024 

The Russian Defence Ministry states that its forces have captured several villages in Kharkiv Oblast. (CNN) 

At least thirteen civilians are killed and 20 others are injured when pieces of a downed Ukrainian Tochka missile hit an apartment block in Belgorod, Russia, Russian officials said. (AP) (Reuters) 

President of Russia Vladimir Putin reassigns Defence minister Sergei Shoigu to the National Security Council and replaces him as Defense minister with Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov. (The Washington Post) 

Fighting during RSF attacks on eastern El Fasher, Sudan, over the weekend kill at least 38 civilians and injure 189 others amid fears of an all out RSF assault on the city. (The Washington Post) 

The death toll from the ongoing flooding in northern Afghanistan increases to 315, with more than 1,600 people injured, and more than 1,000 houses destroyed. (Reuters) 

The death toll from the ongoing flooding in southern Brazil increases to 143, with 125 people still missing. The Brazilian government has announced R$12.1 billion in emergency spending in response to the crisis. (Reuters) 

A shopping mall in Warsaw, Poland, is destroyed in a suspected arson. (Puls Biznesu) 

Western Canada wildfires force thousands to evacuate. (CNN) 

Egypt announces it will intervene on South Africa’s side in the South Africa v Israel case in response to Israel’s growing assault on Rafah. (Reuters) 

The Socialists’ Party of Catalonia wins the regional election with its best result since 2003. Pro-independence parties lose their absolute majority in the Parliament. (Reuters) 

Lithuanians elect the President of Lithuania and vote on a constitutional amendment that would allow dual citizenship. (ABC News) (lnk.lt) 

Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova is sworn in as the first female President of North Macedonia. (Bloomberg Macedonia) 

Forty-nine Vatican Museums employees start an unprecedented labor dispute over unfair and poor working conditions against the Vatican’s Pontifical Commission. (Reuters) 

Hundreds of protesters march in Tunis, Tunisia, to demand the release of imprisoned journalists, activists, and opposition figures. (Reuters) 

Bayer Leverkusen extend their record unbeaten streak in European football to fifty matches. (Bundesliga) 

Saturday, May 11th, 2024 

Three people are killed in a Ukrainian strike in Donetsk. Separately, two people are killed in Ukrainian strikes in Belgorod and Kursk Oblasts, Russia. (Reuters) 

Switzerland‘s entry, “The Code” by Nemo, wins this year’s Eurovision contest. (DW) 

Dutch musician Joost Klein is disqualified from the Eurovision final over reported verbal threats, which are under investigation by Swedish authorities. This is the first time that a performer has been disqualified during the festival. (Aftonbladet) 

The Norwegian announcer for Eurovision, Alessandra Mele, announces that she will withdraw from announcing votes while declaring support for Palestine in the ongoing war. (Times of Israel) 

The death toll from the ongoing flooding in northern Afghanistan increases to 300, with more than 1,000 houses destroyed. (AP) 

The death toll from the ongoing heavy flooding in southern Brazil increases to 136, with 125 still missing, and more than 300,000 people displaced. (Reuters) 

At least 28 people are killed after heavy rains in the Agam and Tanah Datar districts in West Sumatra, Indonesia, which triggered a flash flood and cold lava flow from Mount Marapi. (Al Jazeera) 

Eleven people are killed and 53 others are injured when a bus crashes in West Java, Indonesia. (AP) 

Fifty thousand people march in Tbilisi, Georgia, in protest of the proposed Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence. (Reuters) 

Friday,  May 10th, 2024 

Russian forces launch an attack on Ukraine‘s Kharkiv Oblast, near the town of Vovchansk, opening up a new front. (Reuters) 

A Ukrainian strike against oil infrastructure kills three in Luhansk. (Reuters) 

Hundreds of Islamic State-linked fighters attack the town of Macomia, Cabo Delgado Province, Mozambique. (Al Jazeera) 

Indian security forces kill 12 Maoist rebels in Chhattisgarh. (Reuters) 

Over 200 people are killed by floods in Baghlan Province, Afghanistan. (NDTV) 

The death toll from the ongoing heavy flooding in southern Brazil increases to 126, with 141 still missing and more than 300,000 people displaced. (Reuters) 

Seven people are killed and six others are injured when a passenger bus plunges from the Potseluev Bridge into the Moyka river in Saint Petersburg, Russia. (Reuters) 

At least 60 people are injured when a passenger train collides with a locomotive in Buenos Aires, Argentina. (Reuters) 

Amid record low birth rates and an aging population, Pope Francis urges Italians to have more children. The Italian government also expands a campaign to encourage at least 500,000 births annually by 2033. (AP) 

The United Nations General Assembly votes 143–9 with 25 abstentions to approve a resolution granting Palestine new rights and privileges, and to reconsider Palestine’s request to become a UN member. The nine countries that opposed the resolution were Argentina, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Israel, Micronesia, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea and the United States. (AP) (The National) 

A Colombian court in Bogota grants conditional release to former paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso. He was held at La Picota prison while being accused of war crimes and human rights violations. (Reuters) 

The Supreme Court of India grants Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal interim bail for 21 days in connection with the Delhi liquor policy money laundering case, thereby permitting Kejriwal to campaign in the ongoing general election. (The Hindustan Times) 

A Pennsylvania jury orders ExxonMobil to pay $725.5 million to a former mechanic who claimed that the company’s gasoline and solvents caused him to develop leukemia. (Reuters) 

Peruvian authorities launch an investigation into President Dina Boluarte for disbanding a police force that was investigating her brother Nicanor Boluarte, who was arrested for alleged influence peddling. (Reuters) 

Police dismantle encampments and arrest dozens of students protesting at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Reuters) 

Academic staff of The New School in New York City hold the first faculty-led solidarity encampment in the United States. (The Guardian) 

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. qualifies to appear on the ballot in Oklahoma for the 2024 United States presidential election as an independent candidate. (Yahoo! News) 

Thousands of protesters march through Warsaw, Poland, against the European Union‘s environmental regulations. (Euronews) 

Emir of Kuwait Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah dissolves the National Assembly and suspends some articles of the Constitution. (Reuters) 

Eight hundred protesters storm the Tesla plant in Grünheide, Germany, in protest of the environmental impact of the company’s expansion. (Reuters) 

A geomagnetic storm hits Earth, reaching G5 intensity and causing widespread aurorae, with NOAA‘s Space Weather Prediction Center issuing its first G4-level storm watch since 2005. (NOAA) 

The End

Thursday, May 9th, 2024 

Steward Health Care, the largest for-profit hospital chain in the United States, files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. (CBS News) 

The Boy Scouts of America announces the renaming of the organization to Scouting America on February 8, 2025, in an effort to make girls feel more welcome. (AP) 

President Joe Biden vows to withhold weapons from Israel if it launches a major invasion of Rafah. (Reuters) 

A US-flagged ship carrying aid to the United States-built floating pier in Gaza sets sail from Cyprus. (Reuters) 

Israeli tanks and warplanes strike eastern Rafah, killing more than 65 civilians and causing 80,000 people to flee. (Reuters) 

Israeli far-right extremists launch two arson attacks on the perimeter of the UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem, forcing it to temporarily close down. (The Guardian) 

Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters march in Malmö, Sweden, against Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest and the contest’s ban of pro-Palestinian content and imagery. Among the protesters is Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. (AP) 

The Houthis claim responsibility for attacks on two container ships in the Gulf of Aden and one in the Indian Ocean. (Al Jazeera) 

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fires the head of the state guards Serhiy Rud after allegations that two members of the guards were involved in an assassination plot against Zelenskyy. (Reuters) 

Iran warns that it will build a nuclear weapon if Israel continues to target its nuclear facilities. (Al Jazeera) 

Iran warns it will build a nuclear weapon if Israel continues to target its nuclear facilities. (Al Jazeera) 

Air India Express cancels 85 flights due to staff calling in sick at the last minute, which is related to a protest against working conditions imposed by the airline’s new owner Tata Group. (Al Jazeera) 

Air India Express cancels 85 flights due to staff calling in sick last minute, linked to a protest against working conditions imposed by the new owner Tata Group. (Al Jazeera) 

Air Vanuatu cancels all of its flights as the Vanuatu Government considers putting the airline into voluntary administration. (ABC News Australia) 

Two Boeing 737 planes are involved in accidents involving takeoff and landing in Senegal and Turkey. (Al Jazeera) 

Australia and Tuvalu sign a new security agreement, where Australia vows to protect Tuvalu in cases of natural disasters, pandemic or military aggression. (AP) 

The death toll from the ongoing heavy flooding in southern Brazil increases to 107, with at least 136 people still missing and 165,000 people displaced. (Reuters) 

Eight people are killed, 29 others are injured and 44 others are missing after a building collapses in George, South Africa. (Reuters) 

Former Fijian prime minister Frank Bainimarama is sentenced to one year in prison for perverting the course of justice. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) 

Bayer Leverkusen breaks Benfica‘s record of 48 undefeated games in modern European men’s club association football. (The Athletic) 

Argentine unions launch a general strike against President Javier Milei‘s planned reforms and budget cuts. (Reuters) 

Wednesday, May 8th, 2024 

Israel reopens the Kerem Shalom border crossing, allowing humanitarian aid into Gaza. However, the UN states that no aid has entered. (AP) 

Israeli troops reach the outskirts of Rafah with Hamas saying that heavy fighting is underway. The Israeli military says that it has “uncovered terrorist infrastructure” and killed a number of Hamas militants as it advances. (BBC News) 

Al Jazeera reports that a third mass grave holding at least 49 bodies was discovered in Gaza City‘s al-Shifa Hospital. (Al Jazeera) (The Hill) 

At least seven people, including four children, are injured in a Russian airstrike on Kharkiv. (Reuters) 

Russia launches missile and drone strikes across Ukraine, injuring three people and damaging critical infrastructure. Ukraine says that it shot down 39 of 55 missiles and 20 of 21 drones. (AP)

A motorcycle bombing kills three Taliban security personnel in Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan. The Islamic State – Khorasan Province claims responsibility for the attack. (Reuters) 

A statue of the late African American civil rights leader Daisy Bates is unveiled at the U.S. Capitol’s National Statuary Hall Collection in Washington, D.C., representing the state of Arkansas. (Reuters) 

Siemens Energy brings in a new CEO for its troubled wind turbine division, Vinod Philip. (Reuters) 

Dozens of tornadoes strike the United States, killing five people and leaving multiple others injured. (The New York Times) 

The death toll from the ongoing heavy flooding in southern Brazil increases to 100, with 128 people still missing and 163,000 people displaced. (Reuters) 

Rolling blackouts occur in several cities in Mexico amid an ongoing heatwave in the country. (The New York Times) 

AstraZeneca withdraws its marketing authorizations in Europe and withdraws its COVID-19 vaccines worldwide due to low demand, after finding that the vaccines can very rarely lead to blood clots. (Reuters) 

The Indian Central Bureau of Investigation arrests four people linked to a network of human traffickers who have been luring young men to go to Russia with the promise of jobs or university admission, then to force them to fight in the war in Ukraine. The Ministry of External Affairs is working with Russia to secure discharges for 20 Indian nationals in the Russian Army. (Al Jazeera) 

British Conservative MP Natalie Elphicke defects to the opposition Labour Party, citing the Sunak government‘s failure to stop the English Channel migrant crisis. (Reuters) 

The United States House of Representatives vote 359–43 to keep Mike Johnson as House Speaker, defeating an initiative by Marjorie Taylor Greene to have him removed. (Al Jazeera) 

Researchers at Google DeepMind announce the development of AlphaFold 3, an AI model that can predict the structures of almost all biological molecules and model the interactions between them. (Time) (Nature) 

The ship Belem arrives in Marseille, France, with the Olympic flame. (AP) 

Tuesday,  May 7th, 2024 

The U.S. Storm Prediction Center issues a rare high risk convective outlook ahead of an expected significant tornado outbreak in parts of Oklahoma and Kansas. (Storm Prediction Center) 

At least 27 people are killed by Israeli airstrikes in Rafah. (Al Jazeera) (AP) 

Russian President Vladimir Putin is inaugurated for a fifth six-year term. (Reuters) 

Israeli forces enter Rafah in a “limited” operation, taking control of the Rafah Border Crossing on the Egypt–Gaza border. (Reuters) 

At least 27 people are killed by Israeli airstrikes in Rafah. (Al Jazeera) (AP) 

The Security Service of Ukraine says that it detained two Ukrainian government protection unit colonels recruited by Russia’s Federal Security Service who were planning an assassination of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other top Ukrainian officials. (Reuters) 

The Security Service of Ukraine says that it detained two Ukrainian government protection unit colonels recruited by Russia’s Federal Security Service who were plotting an assassination of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other top Ukrainian officials. (Reuters) 

Ukrainian forces launch a missile strike on an oil terminal in Luhansk, causing a large fire and injuring at least five workers. (Reuters) 

The death toll from rocket strikes on an IDP camp in Goma, Democratic Republic of the Congo, increases to 18. (Reuters) 

The death toll from ongoing heavy flooding in southern Brazil increases to 90, with more than 150,000 people left homeless. (Reuters)

A FedEx warehouse in Portage, Michigan, United States, is destroyed by a tornado. (Detroit Free Press) 

The Bahamas formally recognizes Palestine as an independent nation. (Eyewitness News Bahamas) 

An American soldier is arrested in Russia on charges of criminal misconduct. According to US officials, the soldier was based in South Korea and had been accused of stealing from a woman. (Reuters) 

Russia declares American nonprofit organization Freedom House an “undesirable organization”, effectively outlawing the group, after accusing the group of “discrediting the Russian Army” and advocating sanctions against Russia. (Reuters) 

Two people are killed and 21 more injured during a mass stabbing at a hospital in Yunnan province, China. A suspect has been detained. (AP) 

Two people are killed and 21 others are injured in a mass stabbing at a hospital in Zhenxiong County, Yunnan, China. A suspect has been detained. (AP) 

TikTok and its parent company ByteDance sue the United States government over the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, alleging that the law is unconstitutional. (AP) 

Dutch police end a pro-Palestinian occupation at the University of Amsterdam. (Reuters) 

Dutch police end pro-Pal

The Scottish Parliament votes to elect John Swinney as First Minister of Scotland with 64 votes in favour and seven abstentions from the Scottish Greens. (BBC News) 

John Swinney is elected leader of the Scottish National Party following the resignation of First Minister Humza Yousaf. (The Guardian) 

Israeli forces enter Rafah in a “limited” operation, coming within 200 meters of the Rafah Border Crossing. (Haaretz) 

Monday,  May 6th, 2024 

The 2024 Met Gala takes place at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City with the theme “The Garden of Time”, celebrating the Met’s exhibit Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion. (Vanity Fair) 

The 2024 Pulitzer Prize ceremony is held, with 16 awards in Journalism and 10 in Letters, Drama, & Music. (NPR) 

Israel tells civilians to evacuate parts of eastern Rafah ahead of a planned ground invasion. (BBC News) 

Hamas states that it has accepted a ceasefire proposal negotiated by Egypt and Qatar. Israel rejects the proposal, claiming that the deal does not meet its “core demands”, but confirms that it will continue negotiations in Cairo, Egypt. (Reuters) 

Japanese students at the University of Tokyo, Sophia University, Tama Art University, International Christian University, and Hiroshima University hold solidarity encampments. (Arab News Japan) 

Belgian and Dutch students hold solidarity encampments and occupy parts of the Ghent University, the University of Amsterdam, and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. (Reuters) 

Six people are killed and 35 others are injured in Ukrainian drone attacks in Belgorod Oblast, Russia. (The Moscow Times) 

The Turkish Air Force carries out airstrikes on Iraqi Kurdistan, reportedly killing 16 PKK insurgents. (Reuters) 

The death toll from the ongoing heavy flooding in southern Brazil increases to 85. (Reuters) 

Chad holds presidential elections under its junta. Mahamat Déby, holding the position following 30 years of rule by his father Idriss Déby, aims to confirm his authority. The other candidate is his current Prime Minister Succès Masra. (Reuters) 

The End

Cinco de Mayo 2024 

The China National Space Administration launches the Chang’e 6 spacecraft from the Wenchang Space Launch Site on a two-month mission to collect lunar rock and soil samples from the far side of the moon. (Reuters)

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission gives ExxonMobil approval in the acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources for $60 billion. (CNBC) 

In auto racing, McLaren driver Lando Norris wins his first Formula One race at the Miami Grand Prix. (DW) 

With the closing performance of the Celebration Tour at Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, American singer Madonna attracts 1.6 million people in a free concert and breaks the record for the most attended stand-alone concert by any artist, and the all-time highest attended concert by a female artist. (Billboard) 

The International Olympics Committee (IOC) bans Kuwait’s Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah from all positions within the committee for 15 years over ethics breaches. Sheik Ahmad was previously banned by the IOC for three years in 2023 over his alleged interference in the Olympic Council of Asia elections, as well as for forgery and a fake arbitration procedure. (Reuters) 

Virginia State Police dismantle a pro-Palestine encampment on the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville, and arrest more than 15 students. (The Daily Progress) 

Israeli air raids in Meiss Ej Jabal, Lebanon, cause “massive destruction” according to a Lebanese state-run agency, killing four civilians and injuring three others. In response, Hezbollah fires dozens of Katyusha and Falaq rockets towards Kiryat Shmona, Israel. (Reuters) 

Three Israeli soldiers are killed and ten civilians are injured when Hamas launches a rocket barrage at the Kerem Shalom border crossing. (Reuters) 

Hamas announces the end of ceasefire talks held in Cairo, Egypt, while Israel vows to continue its military operations. (AP) 

A woman is killed and 17 other people are injured in Russian attacks on Kharkiv, Ukraine. (Reuters) 

The death toll from the ongoing heavy flooding in southern Brazil increases to 78, with more than 100 people still missing. (Reuters) 

Panamanians elect their President and members of the National Assembly. (Reuters) 

José Raúl Mulino, the stand-in for former president Ricardo Martinelli, wins the presidential election with more than 35% of the vote, after his three nearest opponents conceded. He will assume office in July. (AP) 

The ruling Union for the Republic party wins 108 out of 113 seats in the National Assembly. (AP) 

Thousands of Hungarians protest in Debrecen, Hungary, against Prime Minister Viktor Orbán‘s rule and policies. (Reuters) 

Kyle Larson edges out Chris Buescher in the closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history, winning a photo finish by one-thousandth (0.001) of a second. (AP) 

A man is injured during a stabbing at a car park in Perth, Australia. The 16-year-old perpetrator is killed by police officers and has been described as a “religious radicalized individual”. A possible Islamist motive is behind the attack.(DW) 

Ten Israeli civilians are injured after Hamas launches a rocket barrage at the Kerem Shalom border crossing. (Reuters) (Jerusalem Post) 

The Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet votes to close all Al-Jazeera offices in Israel. (AP) 

Saturday, May 4th, 2024 

The 150th edition of the Kentucky Derby is held, with American thoroughbred racehorse Mystik Dan winning in a photo finish. (AP) 

Indian Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar rejects comments made by US President Joe Biden saying that India’s economic growth was being held back by “xenophobia”. (Reuters) 

German MEP Matthias Ecke is “seriously injured” in Dresden, Germany, in what is suspected to be a politically-motivated attack at Social Democratic Party of Germany. (Reuters) 

Two people are killed and six others are injured in Russian overnight drone strikes on the Kharkiv and Dnipro regions of Ukraine. (Reuters)

The death toll from ongoing heavy rains in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, increases to 56, with 67 people still missing and nearly 25,000 displaced. The airport in Porto Alegre, the capital of Rio Grande do Sul, suspends all flights until further notice. (Reuters) 

At least 14 people are killed by floods and landslides in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. (Reuters) 

Palestinian doctor and rector at the University of Glasgow Ghassan Abu-Sittah is denied access into France after landing at Charles de Gaulle airport on his way to speak at the French Senate. Last month, he was denied entry into Germany. (Al Jazeera) 

Russian state media reports that a number of officials from Ukraine and NATO countries have been placed on Russia’s wanted list, including Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, former president Petro Poroshenko, Ukrainian Ground Forces commander Oleksandr Pavlyuk, and Estonian prime minister Kaja Kallas. The Ministry of Internal Affairs neither states what crimes the wanted individuals are being charged with, nor clarifies the allegations that are being brought against them. (AP) 

Sadiq Khan wins re-election as mayor of London, England, with 43.8% of the vote, becoming the first London mayor to be elected to a third term. (BBC News) 

Real Madrid are crowned champions of La Liga after Barcelona‘s 4–2 defeat at Girona. (BBC News) 

Friday,  May 3rd, 2024 

Panama bans First Quantum Minerals from extracting copper following the closure of its Cobre Panamá mine last year. (Reuters) (The Globe and Mail) 

British Foreign Secretary David Cameron promises £3 billion of annual military aid to Ukraine for “as long as it takes.” (Reuters) 

Two people are killed and two others are injured by Russian shelling in the city of Kurakhove in the Donetsk oblast. (The Moscow Times) 

The mining town of Rubaya, Democratic Republic of the Congo, is seized by the March 23 Movement. (AP) 

Twelve people are killed and more than 20 others are injured during explosions caused by bombs at two camps for displaced people in Lac Vert and Mugunga, in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. (AP) 

The United States tells Qatar to evict Hamas if the latter obstructs an Israeli hostage deal. (The Washington Post) 

US President Joe Biden gives Presidential Medals of Freedom to 19 people. (Reuters) 

A bus plunges into a ravine in Diamer District, Pakistan, killing 15 people and seriously injuring more than 20 others. (AP) 

Thirteen people are killed and 2,000 homes are flooded during heavy rains in Haiti, mainly in the city of Cap-Haitien. Rains occurs also in Puerto Rico, where planes are landed in San Juan to reroute. (AP) 

Mexican authorities locate the bodies of three tourists, one American and two Australians, in Baja California, where they were reported missing in April. Three people have been arrested and are being questioned in relation to the case. (Reuters)

Three Indian men are arrested in Canada and charged with the murder of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar last year. The Canadian government is investigating whether the men had ties to the Indian government. (Reuters)

A military court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo sentences eight soldiers to death for cowardice and other crimes. (AP) 

U.S. Representative Henry Cuellar is indicted for accepting nearly $600,000 worth of bribes from an Azerbaijan-controlled company and a Mexican bank. (AP) 

The International Criminal Court warns against outside interference, saying that efforts to undermine the court’s work must “cease immediately”. (The Washington Post) 

French police evacuate Sciences Po University in Paris and close the university in response to pro-Palestine protests and building occupations by students. (Reuters)

The Houthis offer American students who have been suspended in pro-Palestine protests education at Sanaa University in Yemen. (Reuters) 

The End