May 30, 2015 (Saturday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Syrian Civil War
- The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimates that barrel bombs dropped by the Bashar al-Assad regime have killed at least 45 people in the Aleppo Governorate and injured dozens more. (AFP via Daily Star)
- Boko Haram
- A suicide bomber kills 26 people in a Maiduguri mosque hours after militants launch an attack on the first full day of President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari's term of office. (AFP via Sky News)
Disasters and accidents
- A 7.8 magnitude earthquake occurs off the coast of Japan. No tsunami warning is issued. (BBC)
- Illegal immigration from Africa to Europe
- The Italian Coast Guard states that at least 17 people have died and 4,200 have been rescued in the Mediterranean Sea attempting to travel to Europe in the past 24 hours. Ships from nations including Italy, Republic of Ireland, Germany, Belgium and the United Kingdom have been involved in rescue efforts. (AFP/Reuters via ABC Online)
International relations
- Territorial disputes in the South China Sea
- The United States Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter warns that the People's Republic of China's island building in the South China Sea is undermining security in the Asia-Pacific region and has called for a diplomatic solution. (The Guardian)
- US surveillance detects two large self-propelled artillery vehicles on one of the islands. (AP via News24) (CNN)
Law and crime
- 2015 Rohingya refugee crisis
- A Thai national is arrested in Myanmar in relation to human trafficking offences after the Myanmar Navy rescues more than 200 people from a boat that he allegedly owns. (AFP via Myanmar Mail)
Politics and elections
- Beau Biden, U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden's son, who had served in the Iraq War and for multiple terms as the Attorney General of Delaware, dies at Walter Reed Medical Center after a battle with malignant brain cancer. (MSN)
- Martin O'Malley announces that he will be seeking the Democratic Party nomination in the 2016 US presidential election. (CNN)
Science
- A mystery disease has killed over 120,000 saiga antelopes – more than a third of the world's total population – in Kazakhstan in recent weeks. (AFP via ABC Online)
Sport
- Football
- In England, Arsenal defeat Aston Villa 4-0 in the 2015 FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium, with the victors playing in a record 19th final and achieving a record 12th win. (BBC) (The FA via Twitter)
- In Scotland, Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC defeat Falkirk FC 2-1 at Hampden Park to win the 2015 Scottish Cup Final. This is Inverness' first major title. (BBC), (The Guardian)
- In South Africa, Namibia defeat Mozambique 2-0 to win the 2015 COSAFA Cup for the first time. (COSAFA)
- In Spain, FC Barcelona defeat Athletic Bilbao 3-1 in the 2014–15 Copa del Rey final meaning they complete a domestic double after winning La Liga. Lionel Messi scored a brace in the victory. (The Guardian) (Reuters via Sydney Morning Herald)
- Alastair Cook becomes the leading run scorer of all time in test cricket for England playing against New Zealand in the second test at Headingley Cricket Ground in Leeds. (BBC)
- Chicago Blackhawks defeat the Anaheim Ducks in a seven game series to advance to the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals. (NHL)