Top News Stories –

Sweden wins Eurovision Song Contest –
Unabashed commercial dance music triumphed over kitsch and politics, as Sweden swept to its sixth victory in Eurovision, making it the most successful country in Eurovision history behind Ireland. Måns Zelmerlöw, a leather trousered hunk, with his pop anthem Heroes, beat off stiff competition from Russian (bolstered by some neighbourly votes from Eastern European nations) and Italy. Sweden won 365 points, while Russia, in second, got 303. [Daily Telegraph] Unfortunately after Eurovision went off air it was revealed that two countries had been disqualified. Montengro and Macedonia’s voting results have been disqualified after it was discovered the two countries used votes from the televoting to account for 100% of the country’s votes, rather than 50% with 50% coming from a jury, as is required. [Daily Mirror] See Video of the Day and List of the Day
Måns_Zelmerlöw from Sweden

Ireland becomes first country to legalise same-sex marriage by popular vote –
Ireland has voted by a huge majority to legalise same-sex marriage, becoming the first country in the world to do so by popular vote in a move hailed as a social revolution and welcomed around the world. Some 62% of the Irish Republic’s electorate voted in favour of gay marriage. The result means that a republic once dominated by the Catholic church ignored the instructions of its cardinals and bishops. The huge Yes vote marks another milestone in Ireland’s journey towards a more liberal, secular society. Out of an electorate of more than 3 million, 1,201,607 backed gay marriage, while 734,300 voters said No. The result prompted a massive street party around the gay district of central Dublin close to the national count centre. [The Guardian]

Spanish La Liga ends with Barcelona on top but Cristiano Ronaldo with 61 goals –
Cristiano Ronaldo finished with a season’s best goals tally of 61 as his first-half hat-trick helped Real Madrid end their season by hammering Getafe 7-1. The Portuguese forward’s haul is one more than the 60 he scored in 2011-12. Barcelona had already won the title and said adios to their captain Xavi Hernández who has won eight La Liga titles with the side after joing the club aged 11 in 1991. See List of the Day 2
Xavi Hernández

Banned number plates revealed: VA61ANA banned but PEN15 allowed –
The DVLA has revealed its entire catalogue of forbidden car number plates – including some amusing selections as well as surprising omissions. It seems motorists can drive a PEN15, but not a VA61ANA, and while BL03 JOB is forbidden ORG45M is fine. The list of personalised plates the DVLA believes to be in poor taste runs to 46 pages and includes religious or homophobic words. [Daily Telegraph]
Banned number plates – how they might look

Video of the Day –

Måns Zelmerlöw – Heroes (Sweden) – LIVE at Eurovision 2015 Grand Final

List of the day 1 –

Eurovision Song Contest 2015 results

1. Sweden – 365 points
2. Russia – 303 points
3. Italy – 292 points
4. Belgium – 217 points
5. Australia – 196 points
6. Latvia – 186 points
7. Estonia – 106 points
8. Norway – 102 points
9. Israel – 97 points
10. Serbia – 53 points
11. Georgia – 51 points
12. Azerbaijan – 49 points
13. Montenegro – 44 points
14. Slovenia – 39 points
15. Romania – 35 points
16. Armenia – 34 points
17. Albania – 34 points
18. Lithuania – 30 points
19. Greece – 23 points
20. Hungary – 19 points
21. Spain – 15 points
22. Cyprus – 11 points
23. Poland – 10 points
24. United Kingdom – 5 points
25. France – 4 points
26. Germany – 0 points
27. Austria – 0 points

List of the day 2 –

2014-2015 Spanish La Liga final table

Top Twitter Trends –

Other News Stories –

Armed conflicts and attacks

• War in Afghanistan (2015–present)
  • A roadside bomb kills two, including the district chief, in the Charcheno District of Afghanistan. (AP via ABC News America)
• War in Somalia (2009–present)
  • Islamic extremists kill at least 18 people in an attack on two rural towns Awdhegie and Mubarak, (AP)
• War in Donbass
  • Pro-Russian separatist military leader colonel Alexei Mozgovoi is confirmed killed in an ambush on his car. (BBC News)

Arts and culture

• The Venerable Servant of God Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero, the assassinated former Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San Salvador in San Salvador, El Salvador (d. March 24, 1980, while saying Mass, at the start of the Salvadoran Civil War) is beatified, in Pope Francis‘s name, by Angelo Cardinal Amato, Prefect of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, in San Salvador. (White House) (CNN)(Vatican)
• The final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 is held in Vienna, Austria with Måns Zelmerlöw of Sweden winning for the song Heroes. (Sydney Morning Herald), (BBC)
• A memorial service is held in the Scottish capital Edinburgh for the Quintinshill rail disaster which occurred 100 years ago and claimed over 200 lives. (BBC)

Disasters

• The death toll from China‘s latest round of flooding rises to at least 48. (AP via Washington Post)
• An Indian heat wave claims over 200 lives with the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana worst affected. (The Hindu)
• Record breaking rain causes flooding in the American states of Oklahoma and Texas with Oklahoma City recording record rainfall levels for the month of May. (CNN)

International relations

• South East Asia people smuggling
  • Julie Bishop, the Foreign Minister of Australia, says that Indonesia has advised that most of the people who have traveled to South East Asiaby boat are from Bangladesh, not Rohingya from Myanmar. (Straits Times)
  • Myanmar announces plans to deport recently rescued migrants to Bangladesh. (Sky News Asia)

Law and crime

• Cleveland Police Department officer Michael Brelo is acquitted of manslaughter in relation to the 2012 deaths of Timothy Russell and Malissa Williams following a a police chase. There are multiple arrests in protests afterwards (Los Angeles Times via WA Today), (Newsnet)
  • The U.S. Justice Department announced it will review the decision to determine if further action is required. (The Guardian)
• Nigerian drug agents arrest senator-elect Buruji Kashamu for extradition to the United States for his alleged involvement in a drug deal 20 years ago that is claimed to be the basis for the television show Orange is the New Black. (AP)
• The President of Myanmar, Thein Sein, signs the Population Control Health Care Bill requiring some parents to space each child three years apart. (AP via Daily Mail)

Politics and elections

• Peru declares a 60 day state of emergency in the Tambo Valley following violent protests against a mine project which has seen four deaths. (AP via ABC News)
• The United States Senate adjourns without agreeing either to reform the National Security Agency or extend the Patriot Act which is due to expire at the end of this month. (The Hill)
• Thirty-fourth Amendment of the Constitution (Marriage Equality) Bill 2015
  • The counting of votes for yesterday’s referendum occurs with the Republic of Ireland becoming the first country to adopt same sex marriageby popular vote. (AP), (Independent Ireland), (The Guardian)

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