Portal:Current events/2018 May 29

May 29, 2018 (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

2018 Liège attack
- Three people, including two police officers, are killed in Liège, Belgium, and four police officers are injured in a shooting. The gunman took a woman hostage, but was later killed by police. (BBC) (The Guardian)
Gaza–Israel conflict
- Palestinian militants in Gaza fire dozens of mortars at Israel in the heaviest such barrage in years. The Israeli Air Force responds with airstrikes on militant positions. (BBC)
Ukrainian crisis
- It is reported that Russian journalist Arkady Babchenko is shot dead near his home in Kiev, Ukraine. The day after, the event is revealed by the Ukrainian Security Service to have been staged as part of an operation to catch those who were trying to kill him. (Reuters) (NBC New York)

Arts and culture

U.S. television network ABC cancels its recently revived sitcom Roseanne following a controversial tweet from Roseanne Barr about former U.S. President Barack Obama aide Valerie Jarrett. (BBC) (CNBC)

Business and economy

Disasters and accidents

2018 Atlantic hurricane season
- Subtropical Storm Alberto, the first named Atlantic storm of 2018, makes landfall on the west coast of Florida, United States. (CNN)
- Two WYFF journalists, Mike McCormick and Aaron Smeltzer, are killed after a tree crushes their car as they covered the storm in North Carolina, United States. (BBC)
At least 50 people are reported to have died amid heavy thunder and lightning storms in northern India. (BBC)

International relations

International recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia
- Syria recognizes the disputed territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent states which in turn prompts Georgia to sever its relations with Syria. (Reuters)
2018 China–United States trade dispute
- The U.S. Government announces a 25% import tariff on US$50 billion of Chinese goods with "industrially significant technology". A full list of affected products will be published on June 15. Investment restrictions and enhanced export controls are to be announced on June 30. (NPR)

Law and crime

Crime in the United Kingdom
- It is reported today that right-wing British activist Tommy Robinson was sentenced to 13 months in prison for contempt of court within five hours after being arrested outside Leeds Crown Court on 25 May. A ban on reporting his sentence is lifted today following a legal challenge by journalists. (The Mirror) (The Guardian)
Censorship of Facebook, Health in Papua New Guinea
- Papua New Guinea bans Facebook for a month "in order to research the social network’s effects on the population and to crack down on fake accounts." (The Hill)
Kidnapping of Joshua Boyle and Caitlan Coleman
- Former Taliban hostage Joshua Boyle, awaiting trial on assault charges, is expected to hear Friday whether he'll be released on bail. (The Star)

Politics and elections

Libyan general election, 2018
- Four Libyan leaders – Fayez al-Sarraj, Khalifa Haftar, Aguila Saleh and head of the Council of State Khaled al-Mishri – endorse a statement calling to hold "credible, peaceful" elections on 10 December. (The Guardian)
2017–18 United States political sexual scandals
- Governor of Missouri Eric Greitens announces that he is resigning amid sexual misconduct and misuse of a charity donor list allegations against him. Greitens claims that he is the victim of a "political witch hunt". Lt. Governor Mike Parson will assume the governorship once Greitens' resignation takes effect on June 1. (BBC) (St Louis Post-Dispatch)

Sports