May 16, 2013 (Thursday)
Armed conflict and attacks
- War in Afghanistan (2001–2021):
- Many people are killed in two suicide bombings in Afghanistan, at least fifteen of which are killed in the capital Kabul when a suicide bomber from Hizb-i-Islami, a Taliban affiliate, targeted a convoy carrying foreign troops, injuring another 40. (Xinhua) (NBC)
- Iraqi insurgency (post-U.S. withdrawal):
- Seventeen people are killed when car bombs detonate and gunman attack people in Baghdad, Iraq. (AP via USA Today)
- Suspected militants abduct six security personnel in the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. (AP via Bloomberg)
- Nigerian Sharia conflict:
- The Nigerian military imposes a dusk to dawn curfew in Adamawa State. (Xinhua)
Arts and culture
- The American adaptation of the television series The Office airs its last episode on the National Broadcasting Company after nine seasons. (Reuters)
- British author Jenny Colgan wins the 2013 Romantic Novel of the Year Award for her book Welcome to Rosie Hopkins' Sweetshop of Dreams. (BBC)
- A topless painting of actress Bea Arthur sells for US$2 million at auction. (New York Post)
Business and economy
- Bill Gates becomes the world's richest person for the first time since 2007 with a fortune of approximately $72.7 billion. (abcnews)
- The Venezuelan government attempts to put an end to a toilet paper shortage. (The Guardian)
Disasters and accidents
- A shoe factory collapses in Cambodia, killing three. (Reuters)
- A plane crashes while attempting to land on a mountain airstrip in northern Nepal, injuring all 21 passengers. (The Washington Post)
International relations
- The Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran, Saeed Jalili, reiterates that Iran will never give up its right to use nuclear energy for peaceful means, but it will not seek nuclear weapons. (Xinhua)
- The United States announces new sanctions against the Syrian government. (Los Angeles Times)
- Pope Francis calls for worldwide "financial reform along ethical lines" to fight the "tyranny [of] financial speculation". (Irish Times)
Law and crime
- Two brothers are arrested in connection with the Mother’s Day parade shooting that wounded 20 in New Orleans. (The Washington Post) (AFP via News24)
Science and technology
- Rolf Wolff, president of the Stockholm School of Economics, is fired amidst a scandal where he promoted a convicted insider trader for a top position at the university and allegedly he lied about his academic credentials. (Dagens industri) (Dagens Nyheter)
- Water dating back 2.6 billion years, by far the oldest ever found, is discovered in a Canadian mine. (Fox News)
- A study suggests that marijuana may improve blood sugar by decreasing insulin resistance. (Healthline)
Sports
- In association football, midfielder David Beckham announces his retirement effective at season's end, a decision that came days after he won the Ligue 1 title with his last club, Paris Saint-Germain. (CNN)
- Former NASCAR driver Dick Trickle dies at age 71 from an apparent suicide. (Fox Sports)