Historical Events
- May 1 Hundreds march through Nigerian capital calling for the release of schoolgirls abducted by Islamic militants, Boko Haram, who oppose Western education
- May 2 The Kiev regime launch a raid against pro-Russian forces, who respond by shooting down two helicopters
- May 3 140th Kentucky Derby: Victor Espinoza aboad California Chrome wins in 2:03.66
Sports History
May 5 World Snooker Championship, Crucible Theatre, Sheffield: Briton Mark Selby beats countryman Ronnie O'Sullivan 18-14, the first of 3 world titles
- May 6 Boko Haram's leader, Abubakar Shekau, releases a 57 minute video boasting about abducting schoolgirls in Nigeria
- May 7 Fighting between pro-Russian and Kiev forces continue amid fears internationally of a civil war in Ukraine
- May 8 NFL Draft: South Carolina outside linebacker Jadeveon Clowney first pick by Houston Texans
Event of Interest
May 8 World's oldest astrolabe (mariner's navigator tool) c. 1498 from Portuguese shipwreck of explorer Vasco da Gama found near Al Hallaniyah Island, Oman
- May 10 59th Eurovision Song Contest: Conchita Wurst for Austria wins singing "Rise Like a Phoenix" in Copenhagen
- May 10 Kara Walker's artwork "The Subtlety" opens - an installation of a sphinx made of sugar at the Domino Sugar factory in Brooklyn, NY [1]
- May 10 The African National Congress wins the 2014 South African General Election
PGA Players Championship
May 11 PGA Players Championship, TPC at Sawgrass: German Martin Kaymer leads after each round to win by 1 stroke ahead of Jim Furyk; first 8-figure purse in golf with winner's share $1.8 million
- May 11 Thousands protest against the construction of a waste incineration plant in Hangzhou, China
- May 12 Voters in Eastern Ukraine vote for self-rule in referendum
- May 13 301 miners are killed by an underground explosion and mine fire in Soma Mine, Manisa, Turkey
- May 13 Unidentified shipwreck is discovered off the northern coast of Haiti by marine archaeologist Barry Clifford
- May 16 Paris Saint-Germain F.C. & Manchester City F.C. are each fined €60 million for breaching Fair Play Regulations
- May 17 139th Preakness: Victor Ezpinoza aboard California Chrome wins in 1:54.84
- May 17 Atlético Madrid win the 2013–14 La Liga
Sports History
May 17 Bayern Munich defeats Borussia Dortmund to win the 2013–14 DFB-Pokal
- May 17 English FA Cup Final, Wembley Stadium, London (89,345): Arsenal beats Hull City, 3–2 (a.e.t.); Aaron Ramsey scores 109' winner
- May 17 St Johnstone FC win the Scottish Cup for 1st time in 130 years, defeating Dundee United 2-0
Election of Interest
May 17 The center-right Hindu Nationalist Party, the BJP, led by Narendra Modi wins a landslide general election victory in India
Billboard Music Awards
May 18 21st Billboard Music Awards: Justin Timberlake wins 7; Imagine Dragons win 5; Pharrel Williams wins 4; Daft Punk & Miley Cyrus also win
- May 18 60th British Academy Television Awards: "A League of Their Own" Best Comedy, "Broadchurch" Best Drama
- May 18 Swiss voters reject a $25 per hour minimum wage
- May 18 The Tradition Senior Men's Golf, Shoal Creek G&CC: Kenny Perry wins his third of 4 Champions Tour majors by 1 stroke from Mark Calcavecchia
- May 19 Decorated Dutch coach Louis van Gaal confirmed as manager of Manchester United; Ryan Giggs named assistant, confirms retirement as a player at age 40 after 963 games and English record 22 major trophies
- May 21 José Mário Vaz is elected President of Guinea-Bissau
Agreement of Interest
May 21 Russian President Putin signs agreements with China in Beijing in relation to trade and infrastructure
- May 21 Thai army declares martial law and closes down several news stations
- May 22 Royal Thai Armed Forces, led by General Prayut Chan-o-cha stage a coup in Thailand, suspending the kingdom's constitution and taking control of the government, the 12th since the country's first coup in 1932
Pauline
May 23 "Pauline" a chamber opera by Margaret Atwood and Tobin Stokes premieres at the York Theatre in Vancouver
- May 23 Jason Koumas signs a one-year extension with Tranmere Rovers
- May 23 Russia and China veto the U.N. Security Council resolution to establish an International Criminal Court for war crimes in Syria
- May 24 UEFA Champions League Final, Lisbon: Real Madrid beats cross town rivals Atlético Madrid, 4-1 after extra time; scores locked at 1-1 in regulation; Los Blancos record 10th title
- May 24 Yingluck Shinawatra, former prime minister of Thailand, is detained by the army after a military coup
- May 25 67th Cannes Film Festival: "Winter Sleep" directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan wins the Palme d'Or
- May 25 Dalia Grybauskaitė is re-elected President of Lithuania
- May 25 Indianapolis 500: American driver Ryan Hunter-Reay holds off runner-up Hélio Castroneves of Brazil by a margin of 0.0600 seconds, the second-closest finish in race history
Poroshenko Elected
May 25 Petro Poroshenko is elected President of Ukraine
Senior PGA Championship
May 25 Senior PGA Championship, GC at Shore Harbor: Colin Montgomerie of Scotland wins first of 3 Champions Tour majors by 4 strokes from Tom Watson
- May 26 Narendra Modi becomes the 15th Prime Minister of India
- May 26 Protests across Thailand in response to military coup; General Prayuth warns of a crackdown in demonstrations continue
- May 26 World Health Organization confirms that Ebola has reached Sierra Leone
Event of Interest
May 27 The director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde calls for "tougher regulation and tighter supervision" of banking sector
Event of Interest
May 29 President Obama approves US military training of 'moderate' Syrian rebels to fight the regime of Bashar al-Assad and al Qaeda-linked groups
- May 30 Former military chief al-Sisi wins 93 percent of the vote in Egypt's presidential election
A Million Ways to Die in the West
May 30 Seth MacFarlane's "A Million Ways to Die in the West" is released to theatres, MacFarlane's first live-action role on the big screen
Famous Weddings
Kim Kardashian & Kanye West
May 24 Rapper and record producer Kanye West (36) weds model Kim Kardashian (33) at Fort di Belvedere in Florence, Italy
- May 25 Actress Lisa Edelstein (48) weds artist Robert Russell in Los Angeles
- May 25 Happy Endings actress Casey Wilson (33) weds comedy writer David Caspe (35) in Ojai, California
Melissa Etheridge
May 31 American rock singer-songwriter Melissa Etheridge (53) weds American TV actress Linda Wallem (53) at San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, California
Famous Deaths
- May 1 Assaf Dayan, Israeli actor (He Walked Through the Fields), dies at 68
- May 1 Juan de Dios Castillo, Mexican soccer coach (Copa Centroamericana 2011 Honduras; El Salvador), dies of skin cancer at 63
- May 2 Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., American actor (77 Sunset Strip; Scruples; The F.B.I.), dies at 95
- May 2 Jessica Cleaves, American soul singer and songwriter (The Friends of Distinction - "Grazing In The Grass"; Earth, Wind & Fire; Parliament Funkadelic), dies of complications from a stroke at 65
- May 3 Bobby Gregg, American drummer and record producer (Bob Dylan's "Like a Rolling Stone"), dies at 78
- May 3 Gary Becker, American economist (Nobel 1992) and recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom 2007, dies from complications following surgery at 83
- May 3 Jim Oberstar, American politician, dies at 79
- May 5 Butler Derrick, American politician (Rep-D-SC, 1974-95), dies at 77
- May 6 Antony Hopkins [Reynolds], British composer, pianist, conductor (Intimate Opera Company, 1954-62), writer, and radio broadcaster (Talking About Music, 1954-92), dies at 93
- May 6 Farley Mowat, Canadian author, dies at 92
- May 6 Geoffrey Maitland Smith, British accountant (Sir Charles Clore; Paul McCartney) and businessman (CEO of Sears, 1978-95), dies at 81
- May 6 Jimmy Ellis, American boxer (WBA heavyweight title 1968-70), dies from dementia at 74
- May 6 Leslie Thomas, Welsh writer (The Virgin Soldiers), dies at 83
- May 6 William H Dana, American aeronautical engineer, US Navy pilot, NASA test pilot (X-15), and astronaut, dies at 83
- May 7 Will Gaines, American-British tap dancer, dies at 86
- May 8 Roger L. Easton, American scientist, inventor and designer of GPS, dies at 93
- May 9 Mary Stewart, British sci-fi author (Crystal Cave), dies at 97
- May 9 Mel Patton, American athlete (Olympic gold 200m, 4x100m relay 1948; WR 100 yards 9.2s 1948), dies at 89
- May 10 Nash the Slash [Jeff Plewman], Canadian progressive rock electric violinist, mandolin player, keyboardist and composer (FM), dies of a suspected heart attack at 66
- May 11 Ed Gagliardi, American bass guitarist (Foreigner, 1976-79 - "Feels Like The First Time"), dies from cancer at 62
- May 11 Reg Gasnier, Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame centre and captain (36 Tests; 3 World Cups; St. George RLFC), dies at 74
- May 12 Cornell Borchers, German actress (The Big Lift, Floodtide, Istanbul), dies at 89
- May 12 H. R. Giger, Swiss surrealist artist (album cover art for ELP - "Brain Salad Surgery"; Debbie Harry - "'KooKoo"), and Oscar-winning special effects designer (Alien), dies from injuries from a fall at 74
- May 14 Stephen Sutton, English cancer blogger (Stephen's Story), dies at 19
- May 15 Jean-Luc Dehaene, Belgian Prime Minister (1992-99), dies from a fall at 73
- May 17 Gerald Edelman, American biochemist (Nobel 1972), dies from natural causes at 84
- May 18 Dobrica Cosic, Serbian writer and President (1992-93), dies at 92
- May 18 Jerry Vale [Gennaro Vitaliano], American pop singer ("Arriverderci Roma"; "Have You Looked Into Your Heart"), dies at 83
- May 18 Wubbo Ockels, Dutch physicist and astronaut, dies from renal cell cancer at 68
- May 19 Jack Brabham, Australian auto racer and team owner (World F1 champion 1959, 60, 66 [only man to win F1 C'ship driving one of his own cars]), dies of liver disease at 88
- May 19 Michael Aldrich, British inventor (Online shopping), dies at 72
- May 19 Sante Kimes 'Dragon Lady', American convicted con artist and murderess, dies at 79
- May 20 Phil Sharpe, English cricket batsman (12 Tests, 1 x 100, 4 x 50, HS 111; Yorkshire CCC, Derbyshire CCC), dies at 77
- May 21 Teodor Grigoriu, Romanian composer, dies at 87
- May 22 Mathew Cowles, American actor, dies at 69
- May 23 Mona Freeman, American actress, dies at 87
- May 24 David Allen, English cricket all-rounder (39 Tests, 5 x 50, 122 wickets, BB 5/30; Gloucestershire CCC), dies at 78
- May 24 Stormé DeLarverie, American gay rights leader (Stonewall protests), dies at 93
- May 25 Berniece Baker Miracle, American writer (My Sister Marilyn) and half-sister of Marilyn Monroe, dies at 94
- May 25 Herb Jeffries [Umberto Alejandro Ballentino], American actor and director (The Bronze Buckaroo, Mundo depravados), dies of heart failure at 100
Wojciech Jaruzelski (1923-2014)
May 25 Polish general and 1st President of Poland (1989-90), dies at 90
- May 26 Didymos I, Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan (2005-10), dies at 92
- May 26 Manuel Uribe Garza, Mexican man who suffered from morbid obesity (peak weight of 600 kg), dies at 48
- May 27 Helma Sanders-Brahms, German director and writer (Apple Trees; Germany, Pale Mother), dies of cancer at 73
- May 28 David Nadien, American concert and session violin virtuoso, dies of pneumonia at 88
- May 28 James K. Randall, American composer, dies at 84
Maya Angelou (1928-2014)
May 28 American author ("I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings"), poet and actress (Nyo-Roots), dies at 86
- May 29 Karlheinz Böhm, Austrian actor, dies at 86
- May 29 Stefans Grové, South African composer (Nonyana, The Ceremonial Dancer; Cyclops; Glimpses), dies at 91
- May 31 Marilyn Beck, American newspaper columnist and entertainment reporter, dies at 85
- May 31 Martha Hyer, American actress (Day of the Wolves, Night of the Grizzly), dies at 89
