May 2015 Current Events: World News
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Here are the key events in world news for the month of May 2015.
The Duchess of Cambridge Gives Birth to a Girl (May 2): Catherine gives birth to her second child, a girl Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. She weighs 8lbs 3oz. Princess Charlotte of Cambridge, her official title, is fourth in line to succeed Queen Elizabeth II, her great-grandmother.
Cameron Wins a Second Term in a Resounding Victory (May 8): David Cameron's Conservative Party breezes to victory over Labour in the general election. The Conservatives win enough seats to secure an outright majority in Parliament, and Cameron earns a second five-year term as prime minister. It is a stunning loss for Labour's Ed Miliband, who resigns the day after the election. The Conservatives take 331 of 650 seats in the House of Commons, an increase of 24 seats from the 2010 race. Labour wins 232 seats, 26 fewer than in 2010. Nick Clegg's Liberal Democrats, who joined the Conservatives in a coalition government after the 2010 election, also fares poorly, taking just eight seats. He also resigns as party leader.
Morsi Sentenced to Death (May 16): Mohammed Morsi is sentenced to death by a court in Egypt in a separate case than the one he was tried for last month. This case involves a prison break of scores of members of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2011. The court will make a final decision on June 2.
Ireland Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage in Historic Vote (May 22): Ireland becomes the first country to legalize same-sex marriage in a national referendum. Turnout for the vote is 60.5%. Of those who vote, 62.1% choose in favor of changing the country's constitution to allow same-sex marriage. The vote comes 22 years after Ireland decriminalized homosexuality. The referendum's result shows how quickly the historically conservative country is changing. Of the outcome, Prime Minister Enda Kenny says, "With today's vote we have disclosed who we are: a generous, compassionate, bold and joyful people."
U.S. Takes Cuba Off State-Sponsored Terrorism List (May 29): In another step toward resuming full diplomatic relations, the U.S. removes Cuba from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. Of the decision, State Department spokesman Jeff Rathke says in a statement, "While the United States has significant concerns and disagreements with a wide range of Cuba's policies and actions, these fall outside the criteria relevant to the rescission of a state sponsor of terrorism designation."
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