May 31, 2017 (Wednesday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
- May 2017 Kabul attack
- A suicide bombing occurs in Kabul near the German embassy with at least 90 killed and 461 injured. (Reuters via SBS) (The Guardian) (AFP via Channel News Asia)
- May 2017 Kabul attack
- Syrian Civil War
- The U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) says they will counter Iraq’s mostly Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMU) militants if the latter enters areas under SDF control, insisting that SDF will never accept the presence of Iran and SDF will never under any circumstances act as a bridge between PMU and the Syria's Assad regime. (Al Arabiya) (Middle East Eye)
Arts and culture
- CBS terminates its contract with Scott Pelley as anchor, managing editor and reporter of CBS Evening News. Pelley will remain with CBS News as a correspondent in 60 Minutes. (The Hill)
- CNN terminates its New Year's Eve Live contract with Kathy Griffin after she released a photograph of her holding a mock severed head of President Donald Trump. (USA Today)
Business and economy
- Kenya opens the Mombasa–Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, the East African country's largest infrastructure project since gaining independence. (BBC)
Disasters and accidents
- A Turkish Air Force Eurocopter AS532 Cougar helicopter crashes in Şırnak Province after hitting an electricity line, killing all 13 soldiers on board. (Al Jazeera)
Politics and elections
- Iranian presidential election, 2017
- Guardian Council officially confirmed the result of the election which saw Incumbent President Hassan Rouhani reelected for another four years in office. (PressTV)