Portal:Current events/2014 May 6

Current events of May 6, 2014 (2014-05-06) (Tuesday)

Armed conflicts and attacks 2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov rules out any fresh talks in Geneva to defuse the crisis unless pro-Russian groups are also involved. (BBC) Arts and culture German art collector Cornelius Gurlitt dies at the age of 81. More than 1400 works, suspected of being looted by the Nazis around World War II, were found in his possession in 2012, including pieces by Picasso and Matisse. (BBC) Austrian artist Maria Lassnig dies at age 94. (Salzburger Nachrichten) Monica Lewinsky releases a book recalling her affair with then United States President Bill Clinton. (U.S. News & World Report) Business and economy Merck & Co Inc announces plans to sell its consumer business to Bayer AG of Germany for $14 billion. (Reuters) Office Depot says it will close at least 400 of its U.S. stores. (Reuters) Law and crime The Prime Minister of Thailand Yingluck Shinawatra appears before the Thai Constitutional Court to defend herself against charges of abuse of power. (Reuters via DNA India) Eight additional Nigerian girls are abducted by suspected Boko Haram militants following the Chibok kidnappings. (CNN) Russian President Vladimir Putin signs into law a bill that bans profanity at arts, cultural and entertainment events. (CNN) Six people are injured in a knife attack at a Chinese train station in Guangzhou. (BBC) Politics and elections An Egyptian court bans top members of the former ruling National Democratic Party of ousted President Hosni Mubarak from running in any future elections. (Al-Ahram) (The Washington Post)