Current Events May 2008

Current Events May 2008

World
U.S. Missile Kills Top Militia Leader in Somalia (May 1): American officials say Aden Hashi Ayro, the leader of Shabab, an Islamic militant group with ties to al-Qaeda, was killed in a missile attack. U.S. intelligence officers had been tracking him for several weeks.
Pakistan Leaders Agree to Reinstate Judges (May 2): Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif announces that on May 12, 2008, the Supreme Court justices who were dismissed in November 2007 by President Pervez Musharraf will resume their positions. (May 12): The agreement falls apart when the junior member of the governing coalition, the Pakistan Muslim League-N, led by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, says it is withdrawing from the cabinet because the senior coalition partner, the Pakistan People's Party, insists on retaining the judges who replaced those who were dismissed. In addition, the two parties disagree on how to reinstate the justices. Sharif wants the judges immediately reinstated by executive order; Asif Ali Zardari, the leader of the Pakistan People's Party prefers it be done through Parliament, a process that may be protracted.
Zimbabwe Announces Presidential Election Results (May 2): More than a month after the election, officials announce that opposition candidate Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, defeated President Robert Mugabe, 47.9% to 43.2%. A runoff election is necessary because neither candidate won more than 50%.
New President of Russia Is Sworn In (May 7): Dmitri Medvedev succeeds Vladimir Putin as the president of Russia. Although he's a Putin loyalist, Medvedev is said to be moderate and pro-Western. (May 8): Parliament elects Putin, head of the United Russia party, as prime minister.
Hezbollah and Government Supporters Battle in Beirut (May 7): Members of Hezbollah, a Shiite militia backed by Iran, block city streets to support a labor union strike and fight with supporters of the pro-Western government in Lebanon. (May 9): Hezbollah takes control of large swaths of western Beirut, force a government-supported television station off the air, and burn the offices of a newspaper loyal to the government. The government accuses Hezbollah of staging an "armed coup." The fighting is mainly sectarian, with Shiites fighting against Sunnis. (May 14): In an attempt to end the violence and the threat of a civil war, the government rescinds plans to shut down a telecommunications network run by Hezbollah and backs off attempts to dismiss a Hezbollah-backed head of airport security. In return, Hezbollah agrees to dismantle roadblocks that have paralyzed Beirut's airport. The decisions are seen as a major victory for Hezbollah.
North Korea Discloses Information on Plutonium Program (May 8): North Korea gives U.S. officials about 18,000 pages of documents detailing its efforts in 1990, 2003, and 2005 to reprocess plutonium for nuclear weapons. It does not, however, hand over information on its uranium program and its efforts to sell nuclear material.
Sudanese Rebels Attempt to Attack Capital (May 10): In an unusually bold move, about 3,000 members of the Justice and Equality Movement move to within a few miles of Khartoum before being repulsed by government troops. It was the first time that the conflict in Darfur has threatened to spill over into Khartoum.
Iraqi Government and Shiite Militia Reach Cease-Fire (May 10): Government and militia led by Moktada al-Sadr agree to end the fighting in the Sadr City area of Baghdad. As part of the deal, the government will assume control over Sadr City and the rebels who didn't actively participate in the battles, which killed hundreds of people, will avoid arrest. Iran helped to broker the truce. The cease-fire, however, fails to stem the violence in Sadr City.
Business/Science/Society
Storms Cause Wide Damage and Death in Arkansas (May 2): At least seven people are killed, more than a dozen are injured, and about 350 homes and businesses are badly damaged or destroyed in tornadoes and storms in Arkansas.
Microsoft Withdraws Bid for Yahoo (May 3): After Yahoo rejects Microsoft's offer of $33 per share, or about $47.5 billion, up from $29.40 a share, Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer announces the company has rescinded its offer.
Cyclone Devastates Myanmar (May 3): Cyclone Nargis ravages the Irrawaddy Delta and Yangon, killing 78,000 people and leaving up to a million homeless. About 28,000 people are reported missing and are feared dead. Most of the death and destruction are caused by a 12-foot high tidal wave that formed during the storm. (May 10): The ruling military junta goes ahead with a constitutional referendum intended to cement its grip on power.
Tornadoes Strike in Midwest and South (May 11): More than 20 people die and hundreds more are injured when tornadoes hit Missouri, Oklahoma, and Georgia. Racine, a town about 170 miles south of Kansas City, Missouri saw the most damage, leaving about 9,000 people without electricity for over three days.
Earthquake Kills Thousands in China (May 12): At least 15,000 people are killed and thousands injured when a 7.9 magnitude earthquake strikes Sichuan, Gansu, and Yunnan Provinces in western China. Nearly 900 students are killed when Juyuan Middle School in the Sichuan Province collapses. It is China's worst natural disaster in three decades.
Pakistan rejoins Commonwealth (13 May) : The Commonwealth restored Pakistan's membership yesterday in recognition of the democratic steps taken there since the country rescinded emergency rule late last year.
Polar Bear Designated as Threatened (May 14): Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne announces that the polar bear has been listed as threatened, thus protected by the Endangered Species Act. The Interior Department includes provisions, however, that allow oil exploration to continue in the Arctic, somewhat watering down the protection.