May 1, 2015 (Friday)
Armed conflicts and attacks
- Mexican Drug War
- Three Mexican Army soldiers die as gunfire downs a helicopter in the state of Jalisco. Ten soldiers and two Federal Police officers are injured. (AP via ABC News America)
- A PRI/PVEM mayoral candidate in the city of Chilapa de Álvarez, Guerrero, is assassinated. (AP via Washington Post)
- Yemeni Civil War
- The United Nations warns that humanitarian efforts in Yemen could end within days unless the Houthis allow distribution of fuel. (Al Jazeera)
- Second Libyan Civil War
Disasters and accidents
- A 7.1 magnitude earthquake occurs in Papua New Guinea's East New Britain province with the potential to generate a local tsunami. (AP via Daily Mail)
- Australian east coast low
- Four people have died in South East Queensland in flood waters triggered by heavy rain. (Courier-Mail)
Arts and culture
- Expo 2015 opens in Milan, Italy, with the theme Feeding the planet, energy for life and with 145 countries participating.(BBC)
Health
- Scientists at the Salk Institute and the Chinese Academy of Sciences studying Werner's syndrome, which is characterized by the appearance of premature aging, report that aging causes an overall decline in the synthesis of proteins that are themselves involved in protein synthesis. (BMC) (Washington Post via MSN)
Law and crime
- French President François Hollande promises to investigate claims that French Army soldiers were involved in sexual child abuse in the Central African Republic. (NPR)
- Death of Freddie Gray
- Marilyn Mosby, the State Attorney for Baltimore, Maryland, rules that the death of Freddie Gray was a homicide and six officers of the Baltimore Police Department had been negligent in his death. (New York Times)
- The six officers are taken into custody and charged with second degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and misconduct. (AFP via News24)
- Fort Lee lane closure scandal
- Former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey official David Wildstein pleads guilty for his role in creating traffic jams near the George Washington Bridge for political retribution in 2013. (AP)
Sports
- Essex 73's won the 2015 Schmalz Cup Championship 1-0 in game 7 against the Port Hope Panthers.
- In Australian rules football, Mick Malthouse sets a new record for games as a senior coach, surpassing Jock McHale's record with his 715th game in an AFL match between Carlton and Collingwood. (AAP via ABC News Australia)
- In auto racing, ARCA driver Brad Smith suffers two broken ankles after a crash at Talladega Superspeedway. (USA Today)