Portal:Current events/2013 May 31

Current events of May 31, 2013 (2013-05-31) (Friday)

Armed conflicts and attacks

• Turkish protestors are removed from Gezi Park in Taksim Square, Istanbul, in a violent crackdown by police after days of anti-government unrest. (Reuters)

Business and economics

• Starbucks announces it will no longer allow customers to smoke in any of its locations. (The Guardian)

Disasters and accidents

• Four firemen are killed and five others injured fighting a fire in Houston, Texas, U.S. (USA Today)
• Four people are killed when two small planes collide near Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. (USA Today)
• Oklahoma City's Will Rogers World Airport is evacuated due to a tornado threat with three tornadoes touching down with five people dead and others reported missing. (CNN), (USA Today)

Health and environment

• Italy announces its first case of novel coronavirus. (Reuters)

International relations

• U.S. President Barack Obama lifts a trade embargo of communications equipment and software to non-government Iranians. (Bloomberg)

Law and crime

• The United States Naval Academy announces it is investigating allegations that three football players sexually assaulted a female student. (CBS News)

Politics and elections

• British Conservative Party MP Patrick Mercer resigns his party whip over allegations he broke the rules on lobbying. (BBC)
• Iranian presidential election: The first televised debate is held with candidates discussing their economic plans. (PressTV) (Trend)
• Zimbabwe's Constitutional Court orders elections must be held no later than July 31. (RTT News)

Science and technology

• Near-Earth asteroid 1998 QE2 and its moon pass within 3.6 million miles (5.8 mil km) of the Earth. (BBC)