2015 - a bad news year so far.

2014 ended badly with an Air Asia plane crashed in Indonesia. The third aircraft incident to hit Malaysia in one year. Earlier ones being the mysterious disappearance of Malaysian airlines MH370 and the shooting down of MH17 by Ukrainian rebels. The bad news streak seems to have spilled over into 2015 as well. January started off with the Charlie Hebdo killings in Paris and the worsening Ukrainian and Russian crisis; followed by escalation of conflict in Yemen. February saw the growing might of the ISIS in the MENA (Middle East North Africa) region; the terrorist attacks in Denmark and troubles brewing in Latin America.

World economics has not been encouraging either. While the mighty China has seen its stock market crack, a small nation like Greece threatens to drive a crack in United Europe. It is hard to understand how the Greek economy - which is way smaller than the turnover of a fortune 50 company can shake world markets. There was a time when an assailant would say "your money or your life?" now it's an attack on both money and life that one needs to be concerned with.

Thankfully, troubles in India have been restricted to politicians shooting themselves in the foot and attacks on the diet of the masses by imposing bans on beef and "Maggi". After a great wet start; the rain God seems to have listened to the weatherman's prayer to make true his prediction of a drought year. The economy is much better; but the markets and our currency are not showing any signs of it.

There are several full grown and baby Indian Unicorns who may disagree that 2015 is a bad year but the stories of their success are probably as mythical as the creature itself.

The best news is that in relative time terms half the year has gone (usually bad times pass slowly). Let's hope the rest of it gives us a reason to smile.

Summary of News for 2015 until June 2015

January 2015

• Twelve Are Killed in Terrorist Attack at Newspaper in Paris (Jan. 7): Two masked gunmen storm the office of Charlie Hebdo, a satirical weekly magazine, in Paris, and kill 12 people, including the paper's top editor, Stephane Charbonnier, several cartoonists, and two police officers. Five others are critically injured. The provocative magazine is known for publishing charged cartoons that satirized the Prophet Muhammad, most religions, the pope, and several world leaders. French President Francois Holland responds to the attack by saying that "France is in shock." It is the worst terrorist attack in the country since World War II. U.S. PresidentBarack Obama and other world leaders condemn the attack. (Jan. 8): A manhunt is on for the two gunmen, Said Kouachi, 34, and his younger brother Cherif, 32. Meanwhile, the driver of the getaway car, Hamyd Mourad, 18, turns himself in at a police station about 145 miles northeast of Paris. News reports say the brothers have connections to Al Qaeda in Yemen. France holds a moment of silence in memory of those killed in the attack. (Jan. 9): The Kouachi brothers take a hostage at a printing facility outside Paris. French police launch an assault on the building, freeing the hostage and killing the suspects. Meanwhile, in another incident in Paris, Amedy Coulibaly allegedly takes several hostages at a kosher supermarket. Police kill Coulibaly, but four hostages are also killed. Coulibaly is also blamed for the shooting death of a female police officer on Jan. 8. Coulibaly reportedly has ties to the Kouachi brothers. (Jan. 11): About 1.5 million people and more than 40 heads of state, including French president Hollande, German chancellor Angela Merkel, Israeli prime ministerBenjamin Netanyahu, and Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, march in Paris to show an unified voice in calling for an end to violent extremism, to support or freedom of expression, and to mourn the victims of the terrorist attacks. The crowd is made up of people of many races and creeds. (Jan. 12): France deploys 10,000 troops to Jewish schools, synagogues and other locations. (Jan. 14): Yemen-based Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula claims responsibility for the attack on the Paris office of Charlie Hebdo that killed 12 people. The militant group says in a statement that the leader of Al Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahri, ordered the attack in retaliation for the magazine's caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.
• Boko Haram Launches Deadly Assault on Baga (Jan. 8): Boko Haram takes over Baga, Nigeria, the only major town in Borno state to resist being taken over by the group. News reports say the militants burned the city to the ground and massacred hundreds, if not thousands, of citizens, making it one of the most deadly assaults by Boko Haram. A multinational force, manned with troops from Chad, Niger, and Cameroon, has been stationed in Baga. Goodluck Jonathan is widely criticized for not condemning the attack, and his silence may be met with dissent from voters in February's presidential elections.
• Tension Flares between Hezbollah and Israel (Jan. 18): One Iranian general and six Hezbollah fighters are killed during an Israeli air strike on the Syrian section of Golan Heights. After the attack, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah threatens retaliation. (Jan. 28): Hezbollah fires anti-tank missiles into an Israeli-occupied area along the Lebanon border, killing two Israeli soldiers. Israeli forces respond with ground and air strikes on several villages in southern Lebanon. While there are no reports of Lebanese casualties, a Spanish peacekeeper working with UNIFIL is killed. The exchange is the worst fighting between Hezbollah and Israelsince their 2006 month long war. (Jan. 29): Despite the attacks, both sides quickly exchange messages that they are not interested in an ongoing conflict. According to an Israel official, UNIFIL, a U.N. peacekeeping force located in Lebanon, passed on a message that Hezbollah is not interested in escalating the conflict. Israel responds, via UNIFIL, "that it will make do with what happened yesterday and it does not want the battle to expand."
• Argentine Prosecutor's Death Ignites Protests and Controversy (Jan. 19): Argentine federal prosecutor Alberto Nisman is found dead at his Buenos Aires home with a handgun nearby. For years, Nisman has been the chief investigator of the worst terrorist attack in Argentina's history, the 1994 car bombing of a Jewish Community center in Buenos Aires, which killed 85 people and injured hundreds more. Nisman is found deadjust hours before he is scheduled to appear before Congress to discuss his recent allegations that PresidentCristina Fernandez de Kirchner and other Argentine politicians had covered up for the Iranian suspects in the 1994 car bombing. Word of Nisman's death spread quickly, getting the attention of the international media and prompting protests where demonstrators accuse the government of corruption. Prosecutor Viviana Fein begins an investigation into Nisman's death to determine if it was a suicide, a forced suicide, or murder. (Jan. 22):After initially declaring Nisman's death a suicide, President Fernandez reverses her statement, saying now that she believes that it was not a case of suicide. Later, President Fernandez announces her plan to replace Argentina's secret security service with a brand new agency, one that will be managed and controlled by the General Prosecutor's office.
• Rebels Take over Yemen Capital (Jan. 20): Fighting in Sana between Houthi rebels and government troops escalate, and the Houthis take control of the presidential palace complex, sparking fears of a coup. Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the group's leader, says President Hadi has failed to follow through on the reforms he promised and demands that a new constitution grant Houthis greater representation in Yemen's government. The escalation follows the release of a draft constitution that calls for Yemen to become a federation of six regions, a concept that emerged from the National Dialogue Conference and one that the Houthis oppose. The Houthis surrounds the presidential palace complex, with President Hadi inside, and take his chief of staff hostage. (Jan. 21): The Houthis and the government sign a cease-fire, in which the Houthis agree to withdraw from the presidential palace and the government says it will abandon the regional plan and give the Houthis more say in the naming of government officials. The Houthis, however, renege on the deal. (Jan. 22):President Hadi, Prime Minister Khaled Bahah, and the cabinet all resign, citing the Houthi's failure to abide by the cease-fire. However, the Houthis say in a statement that parliament must approve Hadi's resignation before it can take effect. The statement hints at the Houthi's reluctance to assume control over the country since it does not have support of the Sunni majority in the south. Many fear that Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) will take advantage of the political vacuum.
• Ukraine Cease-fire in Tatters amid Resurgence of Fighting (Jan. 20): The cease-fire in Ukraine is all but shattered when the fighting between separatists and the government intensifies in eastern Ukraine. Rebels take over the Donetsk airport, and evidence mounts that Russia is supplying the rebels with increasingly sophisticated weapons. President Petro Poroshenko says as many as 9,000 Russian soldiers are taking part in the fighting in Luhansk and Donetsk, a claim Russia denies.
• Israeli Prime Minister Agrees to Controversial U.S. Congress Appearance (Jan. 21): House SpeakerJohn Boehner (R-Ohio) invites Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address Congress without consulting the Obama administration, a breach of protocol. Netanyahu accepts the invitation, also without consulting the Obama administration, a move that creates tension between him and the White House. The appearance is scheduled for March 2015, two weeks before Israeli elections. The invitation is seen by many as an effort by Republicans to undermine Obama's foreign policy. President Obama does not plan to meet with Netanyahu during the prime minister's March visit.
• Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Dies (Jan. 23): King Abdullah dies. He is believed to be 90. His half-brother, Crown Prince Salman, assumes the throne. Salman says he plans to continue with his predecessor's diplomatic and economic policies.

February 2015

Here are the key events in world news for the month of February 2015.

• ISIS Militants Execute More Captives (Feb. 3): ISIS militants immolate Jordanian Muath Kasasbeh, a flight lieutenant pilot who they captured during U.S.-led attacks. In response, the Jordanian government executes two terrorists and vows revenge. Kasasbeh's execution follows the murder of two Japanese hostages, Haruna Yukawa and Kenji Goto. (Feb. 6): ISIS announces that its last U.S. hostage, Kayla Mueller, 26, is killed when a building, which is hit by a Jordanian airstrike, collapses. (Feb. 10): The White House and Mueller's parents confirm her death, but say the cause is unknown. (Feb. 15): A group of militants aligned with ISIS beheads 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians who had been kidnapped from Sirte. Egypt responds by launching airstrikes on Derna, a militant stronghold in eastern Libya.
• Argentine President Under Investigation (Feb. 3): While continuing her investigation into Alberto Nisman's death, Prosecutor Viviana Fein announces that an arrest warrant draft for President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has been found among Nisman's papers. Later on, prosecutor Gerardo Pollicita brings formal accusations of conspiracy against President Fernandez for her role in a possible cover up of Iranian suspects in the 1994 car bombing. Government officials react angrily to the news. Cabinet Chief Jorge Capitanich calls it "an active judicial coup." Anibal Fernandez, the presidential secretary, says that the charges are "ridiculous, embarrassing and a clear manoeuvre of anti-democratic destabilisation." Judge Daniel Rafecas is scheduled to begin reviewing the case by the end the month. For years, Nisman had been the chief investigator of the worst terrorist attack in Argentina's history, the 1994 car bombing of a Jewish Community center in Buenos Aires, which killed 85 people and injured hundreds more.
• Houthis Dissolve Yemen Parliament (Feb. 6): The Houthis dissolve Yemen's Parliament and announce it will be replaced with a national council that will form a committee to name a new president. In response to the turmoil, Saudi Arabia withholds aid to Yemen because of the Houthis' ties to Iran. In an attempt to form a compromise government, the UNBROKERS talks between the Houthis and rival political parties. However, the negotiations quickly break down.
• Nigeria Postpones Election (Feb. 6): Nigeria's election commission postpones for six weeks presidential elections scheduled for Feb. 14 after the military says it cannot protect voters in the northeast from Boko Haram. Some question if the decision is influenced by President Jonathan, whose victory is by no means guaranteed. Indeed, he faces a strong challenge from Muhammadu Buhari, a former military leader who was behind a 1983 coup.
• Expectations Low for Renewed Truce Agreement in Ukraine (Feb. 12): Amid the crisis in Ukraine, the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany, and France meet to try to resurrect the peace agreement signed in September 2014 in Minsk, called the Minsk Protocol. After 16 hours of negotiations, the parties agree to a cease-fire and to end the war in eastern Ukraine. However, some terms of the agreement leave many skeptical that the cease-fire will hold. For example, the location of the truce line is not defined. They do agree that both sides will remove heavy weapons and release prisoners, the constitution will be amended, the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk will be given "special status," and foreign troops and weapons will be withdrawn.
• Denmark Sees Worst Terrorist Attack in Thirty Years (Feb. 14): Two people are killed in two attacks. In the first attack, a gunman fires into a cafe where Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks is speaking. Vilks, who is on a list of Al-Qaeda targets for his Prophet Muhammad caricature, is unharmed in the attack. One man is killed, and three police officers are wounded. The gunman escapes, setting off a manhunt by police. (Feb. 15): Hours later, another attack happens outside a synagogue. One man is killed, and two officers are wounded. The gunman escapes and police continue the manhunt. Later in the day, police shoot and kill the suspect in a shootout. (Feb. 16): Details emerge about the gunman, Omar Abdel Hamid El-Hussein, including his release from jail two weeks ago where he had been serving a sentence for attacking a train passenger with a knife. Details suggest that El-Hussein may have been radicalized while in jail. The two shootings are the worst terrorist attack in Denmark since the July 22, 1985 bombings of the Great Synagogue and the Northwest Orient airlines office in Copenhagen, which killed one person and injured twenty-six.
• Russian Opposition Leader Is Assassinated (Feb. 27): A vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Boris Y. Nemtsov is shot and killed in Moscow. The shooting takes place on a bridge near Moscow's Red Square, not far from the Kremlin. Putin condemns the killing and promises to lead the investigation into Nemtsov's death. Nemtsov has been an outspoken critic of Putin, and most recently, of the war in Ukraine. Nemtsov's murder is the biggest assassination to happen in Russia during Putin's presidency. The incident sparks outrage and protests, with tens of thousands marching in Moscow in the days after the assassination.
• Venezuelan President Retaliates Against U.S. Sanctions (Feb. 28): During a rally at the presidential palace, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro calls for a major decrease in the number of U.S. diplomats at the American Embassy there. He also declares that from now on U.S. citizens will need visas to visit Venezuela. Maduro's actions are seen as retaliation for the sanctions that the U.S. government has imposed on government officials in Venezuela. Maduro's speech comes hours after four U.S. missionaries are released and leave the country. The missionaries had been held by Venezuelan authorities for four days.

March 2015.

• With Help From Iran, Iraq Begins Major Campaign Against ISIS (Mar. 2): The Iraqi military, aided by Iranian-backed Shiite militias and Iranian troops and advisers, begins a major campaign against ISIS in Tikrit, Saddam Hussein's hometown, which ISIS captured in June 2014. Iranian-backed militias and Iranian troops lead the fight in Tikrit, Iraq, against ISIS, the radical militant group that has sought to implement an Islamic state in northern Iraq and Syria. Iranian military leaders also provide guidance to the fighters. Fighters from Shiite militias comprise the bulk of the force, some 20,000 men, while Iraqi troops numbered only about 3,000. A small number of Sunni fighters join the battle. (Mar. 13): They drive ISIS out of Tikrit, handing ISIS a significant defeat. The operation is conducted without the backing of the U.S.-led coalition, handing the Iraqi forces a symbolic as well as strategic victory.
• Israeli Prime Minister Makes Controversial Speech to U.S. Congress (Mar. 3): Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu addresses Congress in an effort to sway the Obama administration against negotiating with Iran. Netanyahu calls the negotiations to get Iran to freeze its nuclear program "a bad deal." In his speech, he says the deal that the Obama administration wants "could well threaten the survival of my country" because it will not prevent Iran from having and using nuclear weapons. To the contrary, he says, the deal "will all but guarantee" nuclear arms in Iran. During his speech, Netanyahu receives repeated standing ovations and is greeted by bipartisan members despite the fact that more than 50 democrats are not in attendance. Netanyahu's speech is the most controversial by any foreign leader in years because of the subject matter and because House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) invited Netanyahu to address Congress without consulting the Obama administration, a breach of protocol. The speech is seen by many as an effort by Republicans to undermine Obama's foreign policy. Netanyahu's appearance comes just two weeks before Israeli elections.President Obama does not meet with Netanyahu during the prime minister's visit.
• Boko Haram pledges allegiance to ISIS (Mar. 6): Boko Haram pledges allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), also called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), an Islamic extremist militant group. The move further extends the reach of ISIS, which seeks to establish an Islamic state in the Middle East ruled by strict shariah law.
• U.S. Senators Warn Iranian Officials Against Signing Nuclear Deal (Mar. 9): As Iran appear to be close to signing a 10-year accord that will scale back its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions, 47 U.S. Republican senators sign an open letter to Iranian officials saying the agreement can be reversed "with the stroke of a pen" by President Obama's successor. The letter, written by freshman senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, sparks outrage among Democrats, who say the move, which is without precedent, undermines Obama's foreign policy. Iranian officials dismiss the letter and continue the negotiations, "In our view, this letter has no legal value and is mostly a propaganda ploy," said Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.
• Netanyahu's Likud Party Wins Israeli Elections (Mar. 17): After polls leading up to the election had him behind, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud Party win the election. Netanyahu's Likud Party takes 30 out of 120 seats. Likud's main rival, Zionist Union alliance, led by Isaac Herzog, wins 24 seats. The win for Likud means that odds are highly in favor of Netanyahu serving a fourth term as prime minister. Netanyahu must now form a government, a task which may be harder after his vow leading up to the election that no Palestinian state will be established while he is in office, a vow that insulted Arab citizens and alienated some political allies. (Mar. 19): After a backlash, Netanyahu backtracks from the statements he made leading up to the election against the establishment of a Palestinian state. In a TV interview, he says that he remains committed to a two-state vision and Palestinian statehood if conditions in the region improve. "I don't want a one-state solution, I want a sustainable, peaceful two-state solution, but for that circumstances have to change," Netanyahu says in the interview two days after the election.
• Gunmen Open Fire at Tunis Museum (Mar. 18): At least 20 people are killed when two gunmen, Yassine Laabidi and Hatem Khachnaoui, go on a shooting spree at the National Bardo Museum in Tunis, the capital ofTunisia. Neither of the assailants has known connections to terrorist groups. Security forces kill the gunmen, and they believe two or three accomplices escaped.
• The Islamic State Claims Responsibility for Mosque Attacks as Violence Escalates in Yemen (Mar. 19):Troops loyal to Yemen's President Hadi and those allied with the Houthis and former president Saleh, Hadi's rival, battle for control of the international airport in the southern port city of Aden. After pitched battles, Hadi's forces retake the airport and seize a Special Security Force base, which is controlled by Saleh. Hadi's presidential compound is hit by warplanes believed to be under the command of either Saleh or the Houthis. The Houthis retreat and call for talks and an end to the fighting. (Mar. 20): Two coordinated attacks on Zaydi Shiite mosques in Sana kill about 140 civilians during prayers. Sana Province, an affiliate of the Islamic State, says it is responsible for the attacks. The attacks highlight the deteriorating security conditions in Yemen, a terrorist training ground. The U.S. has counter-terrorism advisers based in Yemen, and after the attacks it withdraws 125 members of the Special Operations unit. (Mar. 22): The Houthis take control of Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city. They start sending weapons and troops to Taiz, signaling plans to continue the fight against Hadi and his forces. Taiz is about 120 miles from Aden. (Mar. 26): In an attempt to stop the Houthi advance,Saudi Arabia launches an offensive on Houthi targets in Yemen. More than 100 Saudi jets are involved in the airstrikes that cripple the Houthi's air force. (Mar. 30): A Saudi-led airstrike hits a camp for displaced civilians, killing as many as 40 people. Iran backs the Houthis, and the involvement of Saudi Arabia runs the risk of inflaming tension or creating a broader conflict in the Middle East.

April 2015.

• Somalian Militants Continue to Target Non-Muslims (Apr. 2): Shabab militants attack Garissa University College in northeast Kenya. In a daylong siege, the militants separate Muslims and non-Muslims, sparing Muslims. The non-Muslims are taken hostage and more than 140 are killed. Security officials free the surviving hostages and kill the four gunmen. In a statement, Shabab says the attack was a planned "operation against the infidels."
• Iran Agrees to Nuclear Deal Despite Interference by Congress, Netanyahu (Apr. 2): Despite the interference by the U.S. Congress and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Iran, the U.S., and the four other permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany agree on a detailed, comprehensive framework for the future of Iran's nuclear program. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Iran's minister of foreign affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif, engage in marathon negotiation sessions for eight days to secure the deal. The breadth of the agreement exceeds expectations. The deadline to reach a final agreement is June 30, 2015. Iran agrees to a lengthy list of concessions, including reducing the number of centrifuges spinning enriched uranium at Natanz, Iran's main nuclear facility, to 5,000 from about 19,000; not to enrich uranium over 3.67% for at least 15 years; not to build enrichment facilities for 15 years; that the enrichment site at Fordo will be converted to produce nuclear material for medical purposes for 15 years, and to allow all equipment and centrifuges not in use to be placed in storage monitored by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The IAEA will have access to inspect all of Iran's nuclear sites. In addition, the length of time it will take Iran to obtain enough fissile material for one weapon will be extended to one year, up from the current 2 to 3 months. Iran agrees that the one-year break-out period will be in effect for 10 years. In exchange, the U.S. and the European Union will lift nearly all the sanctions against Iran once the final deal is signed. The sanctions have crippled Iran's economy.
• U.S. and Cuba Have Highest-Level Meeting in Decades (Apr. 9): U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez meet in Panama. It is the highest-level meeting between the U.S. and Cuba in more than half a century. Their meeting comes a day before the Summit of the Americas. According to U.S. officials, the meeting between Kerry and Rodriguez goes well, lasting for at least two hours.(April. 11): U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro meet at the Summit of the Americas in Panama. It is the first time the countries' leaders have a face-to-face meeting in more than 50 years. According to news reports, Obama and Castro vowed to open embassies in both countries. "Our governments will continue to have differences," Obama says. "At the same time, we agreed that we can continue to take steps forward that advance our mutual interests."
• Morsi Receives 20 Years in Prison (Apr. 21): Mohammed Morsi and 14 members of the Muslim Brotherhood are found guilty of ordering the torture and illegal detention of protesters in Egypt. They are sentenced to 20 years in prison. The charges stem from violent protests against Morsi in December 2012. They are acquitted of inciting the murder of a journalist and two opposition figures.
• Saudi Arabia Attempts to End Air Campaign in Yemen (Apr. 21): The Saudi Arabia-led air bombing coalition ends its campaign in Yemen. According to coalition officials, the campaign ends because it has "achieved its military goals." The month-long campaign, called Decisive Storm, has targeted Houthi rebels, but failed to stop their advance. Meanwhile, the fighting has claimed hundreds of civilian lives, displaced as many as 150,000, and destroyed neighborhoods. An embargo of food and medicine, which the Saudis enforced, has created a humanitarian crisis. Coalition officials announce that a new operation, Restoring Hope, will now focus on counter-terrorism and a political solution in Yemen. (Apr. 22): Saudi Arabia resumes airstrikes.
• Turkey Removes Vatican Ambassador over Pope Francis Comment (Apr. 24): Pope Francis calls the 1915 murder of between 600,000 and 1.5 million Armenians at the hands of Ottoman Turks during World War I the first genocide of the 20th century. He makes the comment at a mass commemorating the 100th anniversary of the massacre. Turkey withdraws its ambassador to the Vatican in response. About 20 countries, the Council of Europe, and European Parliament have formally acknowledged the genocide. The U.S. refers to the mass murder of Armenians as "one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century," but has stopped short of calling it a genocide. Turkey denies that a genocide took place and claims that a much smaller number died in a civil war, and it remains illegal to even discuss the persecution of Armenians in Turkey.
• Nigerian Army Frees Boko Haram Hostages (Apr. 27): Forces in Nigeria advance into the Sambisa Forest and begin freeing the women and children who have been held as hostages by Boko Haram. (Apr. 28):Almost 300 hostages are freed. (Apr. 29): A firefight between the Nigerian army and Boko Haram kills over 400 Boko Haram rebels. One woman is killed and eight others injured. (Apr. 28): The Nigerian military destroys 13 Boko Haram camps and frees more women and children. By the end of April, close to 700 hostages are rescued.

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."

June 2015.

• Millions Exposed by Computer Hacking Linked to China (June 4): U.S. officials announce that at least four million federal employees are involved in a data breach by hackers who have been traced to China. The breach is one of the largest ever of federal employee data and involves employees past and present. TheObama administration announces that the breach was first discovered in April of this year, but may have started in late 2014.
• Erdogan Loses Majority in Turkey's Elections (June 7): President Erdogan's Justice and Development Party (AKP) loses its majority in Parliament in Turkey's election. The party wins 41% of the vote and 258 seats in the 550-seat parliament, down from its current 327 seats. The result puts the brakes on Erdogan's plan to amend the constitution to further consolidate power and were considered a referendum on his increasingly authoritarian leadership. The pro-Kurdish party, the People's Democratic Party, takes 13% of the vote, enough to land representation in Parliament for the first time. The party will have 80 seats. Turnout is high, 87%.
• Gunman Kills Dozens at Beach Resort in Tunisia (June 26): A gunman, identified as 23-year-old Seifeddine Rezgui, opens fire at the Port El Kantaoui resort, killing 38 tourists. It is the second attack on tourists in Tunisia in three months. In March, at attack on the National Bardo Museum in Tunis killed 22 people. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for both attacks.
• Greece Misses Debt Payment (June 29): Greece misses a critical debt payment of 1.5 billion euros to the International MonetaryFUND (IMF), increasing the country's financial crisis. Greece's international creditors refuse to extend the country's bailout program. The IMF places Greece in arrears, a classification used to avoid saying a country that doesn't pay its debt on time is in default. The missed payment creates alarm and chaos. Greece shuts down its banking system, ordering its banks to close for six days. Standard & Poor's releases a statement about Greece that said, "a commercial default is inevitable within the next six months." Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras calls for a referendum where voters will decide whether or not to accept the terms of the country's creditors. Tsipras urges voters to choose "no," which is met with Pro-European protests in Athens. Tsipras writes a letter to the international creditors, which says that Greece will accept the bailout offered if many of the conditions are changed. However, Chancellor Angela Merkel ofGermany dismisses Tsipras' letter, saying that the letter is too late and that there should be no more negotiations until Greece holds its referendum on July 5.