1. POLICE FIRE TEAR GAS AT PROTESTERS IN TURKEY
Thousands gathered in Istanbul's Taksim Square to protest what they say is the growing authoritarianism of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan and his AFK party. Several protesters reported injuries related to tear gas fired by police. Protests also occurred in the capital, Ankara, and the coastal city of Izmir. [CBS News]
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2. OKLAHOMA HIT BY MORE TORNADOS
Tornadoes slammed into the Oklahoma City metropolitan area on Friday, killing at least 5 people and injuring 50. The area was also battered by heavy rain and hail, with floodwaters topping four feet in some places. The killer tornado comes less than two weeks after another deadly storm devastated Moore, Okla. [USA Today]
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3. OBAMA URGES CONGRESS TO PREVENT STUDENT LOAN RATE INCREASE
President Obama, standing in the Rose Garden surrounded by college students, urged Congress to prevent Stafford student loan interest rates from doubling from 3.4 percent to 6.4 percent. If nothing is done, the rate increase will take effect on July 1. [Yahoo]
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4. SYRIA PEACE TALKS DELAYED
Peace talks in Geneva between the United States, Russia, and the warring factions in Syria will almost certainly be pushed back from June to at least July or August. Progress was stalled after the main Western-backed opposition group pulled out of negotiations and Russia announced its intentions to keep shipping weapons to the Assad regime. [The Guardian]
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5. GIANT ASTEROID PASSES BY EARTH
An asteroid so big that it has its own moon passed within 3.6 million miles of Earth on Friday afternoon. Scientists say the asteroid, which measures 1.7 miles in diameter, could easily destroy a metropolitan area. [CNN]
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6. MICHELLE BACHMAN'S DEMOCRATIC RIVAL PULLS HIS CAMPAIGN
Days after Rep. Michelle Bachman (D-Minn.) announced she wouldn't run for re-election next year, her main Democratic opponent, Jim Graves, announced he also wouldn't be running in 2014, saying, "With Michele Bachmann now stepping down, I’ve been talking to my friends and family and frankly, the feeling is, ‘Mission Accomplished.'" [Politico]
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7. SUSPECT IN LONDON HACKING MURDER RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL
Michael Adebolajo, 28, has been released from the hospital and taken into custody by London police. He, along with Michael Adebowale, 22, are the main suspects in the brutal killing of off-duty soldier Lee Rigby, who was hacked to death with knives in broad daylight. [BBC]
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8. DELL BOARD RECOMMENDS BUYOUT BY MICHAEL DELL
The Dell board told its shareholders to vote for the $24.4 billion buyout by founder Michael Dell instead of a rival bid from business magnate Carl Icahn. Michael Dell has urged the company, the third biggest PC maker in the United States, to go private. [Bloomberg]
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9. FOREST FIRE RAGES IN NEW MEXICO
A forest fire in New Mexico's Santa Fe National Forest forced officials to close a highway and evacuate 140 homes. A downed power line has been identified as the source of the blaze, which officials say could pick up thanks to high winds, low humidity, and climbing temperatures. [Associated Press]
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10. JUSTIN BIEBER'S MONKEY FINDS A HOME
After months of living in an animal shelter, the 23-week-old capuchin monkey confiscated from Justin Bieber's tour in March has finally found a home: Serengeti Park in Hodenhagen, Germany. The monkey was originally taken from Bieber because he did not have the proper paperwork. [Reuters]
