Portal:Current events/2013 May 19
{{Current events|year=2013|month=05|day=19|content=
;Armed conflict and attacks
- Syrian civil war:
- Heavy fighting is reported in Qusair, Syria, as the Syrian army launches a major counter-offensive against rebel forces. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-22592627 (BBC)]
;Arts and culture
- Taylor Swift wins eight awards, including top album and top artist, at the Billboard Music Awards. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2013/may/20/taylor-swift-eight-billboard-awards (The Guardian)]
- Star Trek Into Darkness earns an estimated US$70.6 million during its opening weekend in the US and Canada. [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-05-20/-star-trek-film-debut-falls-short-in-crowded-box-office.html (Bloomberg)]
;Disasters and accidents
- At least one person is killed and a dozen injured after a series of tornadoes hits the US states of Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa and Illinois. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22592695# (BBC)], [http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/19/us/severe-weather/index.html (CNN)]
;International relations
- North Korea fires three short-range guided missiles into its eastern waters. [https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/19/world/asia/north-korea-missiles.html (New York Times)]
- North Korea captures a Chinese fishing boat and demands a ransom for its return. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/20/north-koreans-seize-chinese-fishing-boat (The Guardian)]
;Law and crime
- Authorities in hazardous-materials suits search a downtown Spokane, Washington apartment, investigating the recent discovery of two letters containing the deadly poison ricin. [http://www.news24.com/news24/World/News/FBI-follow-deadly-ricin-letter-trail-20130519 (AP via News24)]
- Clashes break out between police and supporters of the Ansar al-Sharia Islamic organization in Tunisia. [http://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2013/05/20135198155650292.html (al-Jazeera)]
;Politics
- Nigel S. Wright resigns as the Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Canada as a result of his role in an expenses scandal involving Senator Mike Duffy. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22592273 (BBC)]
;Science and technology
- US Navy dolphins find a rare nineteenth-century torpedo off the coast of California. [https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/19/navy-dolphins-torpedo-discovery/2323885/ (USA Today)]
;Sport
- In cricket, the Board of Control for Cricket in India holds an emergency meeting to tackle the 2013 Indian Premier League spot-fixing case which has resulted in the arrest of three cricketers and eleven bookmakers. [https://web.archive.org/web/20130520222542/http://www.ddinews.gov.in/Sports/Sports+-+Top+Story/IPL.htm (DDI news)]
- In golf, Bae Sang-moon wins his first PGA tour event at the Byron Nelson Championship. [https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/golf/2013/05/19/sang-moon-bae-hp-byron-nelson-championship/2324797/ (USA Today)]
- Sweden defeats Switzerland 5-1 to win the Ice Hockey World Championships. [https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/hockey/2013/05/19/swedes-wins-hockey-world-championships/2324743/ (USA Today)]
- Salisbury University defeats Trinity College 12-5 to win the Division III NCAA women's Lacrosse championship. [http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/college/lacrosse/bs-sp-salisbury-trinity-womens-lacrosse-0520-20130519,0,1874523.story (The Baltimore Sun)]
- Raha Moharrak becomes the first Saudi woman to summit Mount Everest. [http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/19/world/meast/first-saudi-woman-climbs-everest/index.html (CNN)]
- Samina Baig becomes the first Pakistani woman to summit Mount Everest. [https://web.archive.org/web/20130609015701/http://www.jagranjosh.com/current-affairs/samina-baig-became-the-first-pakistani-woman-to-scale-mount-everest-1369024237-1 (Jagran Josh)]
}}